To feel disappointed in my friends?

[TheOnlyVoter]

I’m 30yo Female.

Have a group of friends, mainly since school/college. 8 of us in a group chat. All range from 28 - 31 yo. See each other regularly. Meals out, baby showers, hen dos, bbq’s, etc. all close.

I am the only one who voted. The rest of them either couldn’t be bothered or “don’t understand politics”.

I feel really sad and disappointed. AIBU?

Sigh. I hope you have other friends as well.
(not saying to ditch this lot... just for your sanity).

Wow, yanbu. The next time they complain about not being able to get a GP appointment, their child being taught by someone unqualified, or similar, remind them this is why it’s important to vote and you really have no right to complain when you haven’t tried to make your voice heard in the easiest way.

YANBU I’m in a close group of friends, slightly older (33-35) and we all messaged each other today saying we hoped each other voted, and most of us have small children, that excuse washed when we were 18 maybe but not now.

I wish i understood the voting etc.
I wish I had more knowledge. Currently looking for a course for adults.

Youre not selfish. We just have our own expectations that we think our closest should share. But they don’t :(

I feel the same, OP. My two closest women friends say the same thing. They are a fair bit younger than me, but it makes me really angry. It's as if suffrage never happened - not that they really even understand what that is... It makes me view them differently, I'm afraid.

@Bertieboo93 this thread might be helpful - https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5085264-general-election-for-dummies. It’s got some good resources on it. The title leaves a bit to be desired, but hopefully it is handy!! 😂😂

Yanbu, I am genuinely shocked by some of the people who just couldn't be bothered to vote.

Only one person in our household of 4 voted this time. There is simply no one worth voting for.

I don’t really see any difference between not going to vote because you don’t believe any of the candidates or parties - which is what I suspect a lot of people mean when they say “not bothered”, and spoiling your ballot - which I’ve seen plenty of encouragement for. The end result of not having picked a candidate is exactly the same and since spoiled ballots aren’t counted, it’s ultimately no different to not having bothered in the first place. There’s no point getting riled up over other people’s attitude to politics.

You voted. Good for you. None of your business what other people do.

Surely it's worse if they make an uneduated vote?

I’ve told people I didn’t vote before when I didn’t want to get into their student politics debates.

Are you saying you didn’t vote because you don’t understand?
Educate yourself. There is plenty of information available to read.
What is important to you? Start there…

That's disappointing indeed... pathetic really...

Yes, also this: I suspect there are plenty of people who say they’re not interested in politics or aren’t voting because they don’t want to end up in arguments with their friends who, it turns out, only wanted them to vote if they were going to vote for the particular party they think everyone should vote for, and are going to give them grief over their choice.

YANBU

My closest friends WhatsApp group has been full of family selfies at the polling station. Everyone at work (I’m a teacher) has been talking about voting all day.
Told my class about the suffragettes today when talking about the election - they’re only - they were horrified not everyone could vote in the past. Women died so we could vote.

Rather than judging your friends, it could be worth wondering why there isn't a single party out there that can inspire them to vote
The bar is LOW

It's totally different. Spoiling your ballot shows that you are engaged, you care and you value your right to vote. Not attending puts you in the emotionally disenfranchised group. Two completely different voting groups. Not voting is a folly, which means you have no right to complain about the society and state around you, whereas spoiling your ballot makes a political statement which has to be acknowledged. All spoiled ballots are counted and declared along with each of the candidates. It tells the candidates that there are politically passionate people in their constituency who don't feel they are being represented at all by any option. It is also a chance to comment on the voting system itself, or on the post (crime commissioner for example). Not to mention showing respect to those who fought for enfranchisement throughout history.

Not sure I'd go as far as being disappointed...

I was saying to my husband earlier that I always feel a bit emotional when I vote. He said, "Why?". Because 100 ish years ago, as a woman, I wouldn't have been allowed. So I will always vote for this very reason.

There’s a point in people’s lives where they learn about politics. Some people have the capacity to do it early, some get around to it later in life, some are encouraged by those around them, some never want to get into it.

None of your business. Why even discuss it with them. Nobody ask me.
People will have their reasons. It's their choice.

So I have noticed (not in this thread) people are disappointed if their friends vote Tory or reform, now there is disappointment friends don't vote

I don't know what is worse the above or deciding people have to fit into a box you put them in, you in general

I can understand the disappointment but interest in politics is increasingly not an attractive prospect. It’s fucking depressing and sometimes I don’t blame people for blocking it out.

Women died so we had the choice to vote

That choice includes the choice not to vote (perhaps because of not trusting any of them, I know staunch "you should always vote" voters who considered not voting because they didn't want to vote for any of the candidates)

Spoiling your ballot paper is considered better than not voting because those spoiled papers have to be acknowledged, there is a "count" of them, and it also shows you went to the effort of going to the polling station but are also dissatisfied