to vote tactically

[redskyatnight]

Just had long heated discussion with DH about this.

We live in a Labour/Conservative marginal. No one else has any remote chance of getting in. I am therefore planning to vote either Labour or Conservative as I consider my vote to be wasted if I vote for anyone else.

DH says I should vote for the person/party who I want to represent me, regardless of whether they have any chance of winning, which is what he is planning to do. He feels strongly that this is a matter of principle.

I can see both sides of the argument but obviously think he is wrong

It does seem to be a bit of stupid idea! For all you know, 80% of the voters for the party you want to vote for tactically could be doing the same thing! In which case, if they all stopped being so silly and just voted for the party they wanted in, then we may not have this situation of two super-parties and a load of marginals.

There's no shame in tactical voting but I personally it is never a wasted vote to vote for the person/party that best represents you - even if your party doesn't get in in your constituency, you have registered your needs and priorities more accurately than otherwise and, if there is any kind of body voting for that party in your area the party that does get in will take notice. I am voting Lib Dem and my area is always Conservative, but around 20% voted Lib Dem last time - enough that the Conservatives will want to court the Lib Dem vote and take account of its interests.

I just can't bring myself to vote for either of the other two main parties, anyway.

I asked DH after I posted if he would vote Tory to keep BNP out (he is a die-hard red) and he said no way.

in our house i'll be voting labour, dh will be voting lib dem. Where we live is seperated into two constituencies, (labour and snp). Im looking at things and thinking there may be a hung parliament, so hopefully both our votes will end up not wasted.

i would agree with using tactical voting as sometimes it feels like we have to choose the lesser evil.

clary i couldn't vote tory either, but then i couldn't bear to let bnp in even more.

MN has a good rundown of basic party policies in their politics section, have a wee read of those to refresh what some of the policies are in your mind, cross the box you want and hope for the best. i think thats what we'll all be doing come the 6th thats what i'll be doing..

the step outside posh boy did decide this whole thing for me

Not unreasonable no. It's one of the things that a FPTP system encourages and one of it's negative points.

Wow MrClary

I would definitely vote tory to keep the BNP out. I think it's just about the only situation in which I could ever imagine myself voting tory, but it would have to be done.

Noooo no I couldn't vote Tory either. Not just my husband.

I just wanted to check if I was going mad, but he agreed; there was no way either of us could ever vote for them.