To vote with my head instead of my heart?

[ImNotDaveGorman]

I need advice from random people as I don’t like to talk politics in real life.

I’m in scotland and we have an election next month. The 2 main parties in my area are SNP and conservative. TBH I really dislike them both, but absolutely detest SNP. For reasons I’m not going to get in to I really don’t want scotland to be independent (also, that is not what I want this tread to be about!). I found it so difficult during the last referendum-people were horrific to each other and I want that vote to stand.

So, every time there has been an election I have voted for the party I do like, but every time the results come out the percentages are tiny for any party that is not SNP or conservative! So, basically, I feel like my vote is being wasted.

So....
YABU-vote with your heart for the party you want

YANBU-vote conservative, the lesser of 2 evils (in my eyes) and hopefully we won’t have to go through a second referendum

Again-this is not a thread to change my mind on my reasons for being against Scottish independence, so I won’t be having that argument.

I'm Central Scotland and I don't vote SNP either but I could never vote Tory. If it was between the two I would vote SNP.
Would you not vote Labour or Green? Is there no candidates in your area?

YANBU OP. I have swore all my life I would never vote Tory. Have never voted SNP but never been particularly against them...until now. I don't want independence under any circumstances and an sick of the one party state, petty politics and to be honest I'm disgusted that they are pushing independence at this fragile and scary time. Like we can take any more upheaval! So...i'm holding my nose and voting Tory. I don't like them either but if you don't want independence, you need to vote tactically. It doesn't mean you agree with the "starving poor kids" thing but there is a need to look at the bigger picture if you see independence as a mistake and SNP rule forever scary. Labour have been so pathetically weak that I can't vote for them as I normally do. I just want SNP out.

Unfortunately I'm in an SNP safe seat but we were Liberal for years and that's our second largest party so they'll be getting my vote. I'd love for the SNP not to get a majority. If we have to live through another Indy Ref it'll be horrendous. It was bad enough the last time.

I would go Tory, the lesser of two evils. It’s like picking between standing in one or two piles of dog poop 💩

Yes it’s not idea and they aren’t your favourite but it’s tactful voting.

I'm not in Scotland,but I know where you are coming from. We have a Lib/Lab coalition council and they have made a complete and utter pig's ear locally. My rural ward is Tory anyway but my choice is not to vote or vote Tory. For the first time in my life, I am seriously considering abstaining- and it grieves me.

Sometimes you have to 'hold your nose' & do something unpalatable for the greater good. If there are only two people series realistically one the running, treat your vote as voting AGAINST the party you least want. Voting gir a minor party us a complete waste of your vote, you might as well not bother voting.

I’ve concluded I’m never going to love any party so I vote for the party I hate the least. Our conservative mp is truly awful but I voted for him as I didn’t want corbyn in power. It’s a tough choice.

I'm in central Scotland and feel your pain too OP. It really is a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea unfortunately.

I cannot stand the sainthood that seems to have been bestowed on the SNP near me when they're as corrupt and self serving as all hell...people don't see it though!

Don't even get me started on the hate crime bill or the awful treatment of women either.

There's no such thing as a wasted vote and all votes are valid. If you feel conservative is the better party to vote for in your situation then vote conservative. If you really don't want to then vote for your preferred party.

I get you OP- ideologically I just cannot vote Conservative but no other credible candidates to SNP in our area. Green?

What was the result last time in your seat? If it was a massive SNP majority, it makes no difference.

If it was tight SNP-Tory then you can vote Tory if that is what you want.

I could not vote Tory given the absolute corruption amongst Westminster Tories and what Johnson thinks of Scotland.

Green is just a back up vote for the SNP. They vote with them and support them on everything.

I'm in a similar situation in Scotland, in that I detest the SNP and I hate the monopoly they have in politics here.

This time round, I am voting tactically and that means Labour . I did the same in the GE and it made no difference to the outcome, but I think of it as me doing my bit.

As an aside, I'm absolutely sick to death of the neverending conversation about independence and I'm disappointed in the Green's stance on that, too. They are usually the party I relate to the most.

YANBU, we're in exactly the same position and tactically voting is the only possible way to get the SNP out. The cult of personality around them really frightens me. All mouth and nothing to back it up. The Greens are SNP echo chambers and Labour have no chance up here.

@zoemum2006 of course it’s a fucking problem!
That’s my issue!

I would never vote for a party I didn;t support. I have voted tactically but I would never vote for a party I dislike.

So in your situation OP I would vote with my heart.

It will be dreadful for Scotland if the Tories get a good result IMO - you'll never hear the end of it.

A vote for SNP will be taken from them as a vote in favour of a second Indyref. As you've said this isn't what you want so you need to vote with your head and give the party with the best chance of keeping them out your vote.
The lesser of two evils.

Tactical voting has always been a thing, but now that politics has become much more complicated than left/right with a side issue of ecology (EU membership, UK Union etc), more and more of us will have this dilemma.

I count myself lucky to be in a Labour safe seat and so I can vote Fruitcake party to protest genderism and anti-semitism in the (my) Labour Party, if I feel driven to by my conscience, without needing to worry about the outcome. I know that makes me lucky.

Do whatever you have to do in line with your honest beliefs and concerns.

I'd probably ruin my ballot in those circumstances

If you ardently disagree with the SNP's policies and/or are worried about the ramifications of Independence, a spoiled ballot is essentially a vote for the SNP unfortunately.

In theory I would be in favour of tactical voting but voting Tory is a step too far.

I'm in SE england and I would love to have such a credible alternative to the tories... I guess the grass is always greener.

I'm in SE england and I would love to have such a credible alternative to the tories...

As the SNP?!

There speaks someone with very low familiarity with their policies and ethos.

I have a similar issue, but not quite.

We are in an area that is typically SNP, but had Tory the term before this, before SNP reclaimed the seat.

I'm usually SNP and do want independence, but have been unimpressed with SNP these last few years.

My thinking is to vote SNP this term with the hope of getting independence then review my vote next time.

I could never vote Tory because of Brexit (and how they've ballsed it up) and the way they penalise the poorest among us, amongst other things. We, as a family, are actually better off under the Tories but would never support them as most aren't.

I'm in the situation where the only party I'd like to vote for doesn't and never will have a candidate here, so I go with Labour as the main contender to our Tory MP.

On a positive, I am glad to read that there are others who feel the same about the SNP as I do (where are you in my real life )

I was tempted not to vote because I thought what is the point since “they” will just win anyway. This has encouraged me that there others that want them out too

I couldn’t handle another independence referendum. Those not in Scotland... you thought Brexit was bad...that was a piece of cake compared to the atmosphere that existed up here last time