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General election 2024

How to spoil your ballot paper

201 replies

CandidateX · 03/07/2024 15:22

I am not telling anyone what to do. I am giving information. This is because I have seen how posters are treated on other threads giving this information, and it isn't very nice!

Do what ever you want, but here is some information about spoilt ballot papers.

If you write on your paper, whatever message, it will NOT BE READ. Except maybe by the counter that puts it into the spoilt ballot paper list. But only if they have time to read it, mostly not.

It will be held up and agreed to be spoilt, in front of a committee open to all parties. but they won't read it, and the person holding it up won't read it. No one has time. Many papers are spoilt. Everyone is tired and busy. No one will be standing close enough to read the words.

There is a lot of talk about spoilt ballot papers being scrutinised by candidates, and this is how to get a message across to them.

NOT TRUE

Ballot papers are not scrutinised if they have been written across.

I have a list of circumstances when I might ask to inspect a paper closely, and papers written on don't come into it. I would not waste my time or anyone else's time on a paper that is clearly deliberately spoilt, because the business of the night is count votes, and there are literally tens of thousands to count, and that is clearly not one of them

The ones that are scrutinised are the ones that MIGHT have a valid vote on them.

So if you want to put a message on your paper to be scrutinised, then it must have something on it that might be counted as a valid vote. That way, people in the confirmation committee will be looking closely at your paper, and only then will they see the message.

A paper that is signed is invalid if the signature can be read.

If you want to spoil your paper then you need to make it worthy of discussion, about whether it has a vote on it or not.

So I suggest a CLEAR vote, for whichever party you dislike least. And your written comment that you want to be read. And a scrawled signature, which is not your name, and not legible.

This, I think, might get your comments read by agents of different parties - because they will be discussing whether this is a valid paper or not, and does that vote count, and is that signature legible. Your vote might or might not be counted in the end, probably not, but possibly, so don't do this if you definitely don't want to be counted.

Of course, the message might still not be mentioned to the candidate, or to anyone else at all, but this is the only way I can think of to get comments on a spoilt ballot paper read, because otherwise it doesn't happen, it is just a count for the spoilt paper party, and no one knows or cares why.

OP posts:
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FeatherBoas · 03/07/2024 16:13

Yes a low turn out shows how much everyone thinks it's a waste of time.

But you should vote!

DrSpartacular · 03/07/2024 16:13

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Non-presence indicates CBA, it's not the same.

easytip · 03/07/2024 16:16

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easytip · 03/07/2024 16:16

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Churchview · 03/07/2024 16:23

A spoilt ballot paper changes nothing.
You are effectively handing over the choice of government to other people - people you might disagree with totally.

If you don't vote or if you spoil your paper the party who win isn't going to care. They will make zero changes because you didn't vote.

The only way to make your point to the candidates in your constituency is to make that point to their face, by speaking with them, writing to them or by protesting in some visible way.

A pithy message, a line through your work or a sketch of a cock and balls is nothing to anyone. For five years you will be stuck with a government you didn't vote for and you did nothing to change that.

Bruisername · 03/07/2024 16:28

I am considering spoiling my ballot because the candidates in my constituency are all bloody awful. Spoiling my ballot is to show that I am willing to take the effort to vote and think about it but I honestly can’t vote for anyone on offer. I also have spoken to canvassers/candidates when opportunity has arisen and very happy to write to the successful candidate about my concerns.

staying away suggests voter apathy whereas spoiling ballot is voter disillusionment

DrSpartacular · 03/07/2024 16:33

"The only way to make your point to the candidates in your constituency is to make that point to their face, by speaking with them, writing to them or by protesting in some visible way."

It is possible to do both, to make representations to candidates and spoil your ballot.

easytip · 03/07/2024 16:35

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easytip · 03/07/2024 16:35

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Bruisername · 03/07/2024 16:36

I’m not convinced by any of them either!

easytip · 03/07/2024 16:37

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Bruisername · 03/07/2024 16:39

i have - and I’m not willing to hold my nose and vote for any of the parties that are running in my constituency.

CassieMaddox · 03/07/2024 16:39

DrSpartacular · 03/07/2024 16:13

Non-presence indicates CBA, it's not the same.

If you have compulsory voting, then you need "none of the above"
We don't. Abstention = none of the above and gets recorded. Ballot spoiling is pointless. I think there's a movement to attract people into effectively abstaining but feeling like they've done something worthwhile. To what end I don't know.

DrSpartacular · 03/07/2024 16:39

CassieMaddox · 03/07/2024 16:39

If you have compulsory voting, then you need "none of the above"
We don't. Abstention = none of the above and gets recorded. Ballot spoiling is pointless. I think there's a movement to attract people into effectively abstaining but feeling like they've done something worthwhile. To what end I don't know.

I disagree.

CassieMaddox · 03/07/2024 16:41

Fine. You do you and encourage people to waste their and others time and effort on the grown up equivalent of my 12 year old drawing penises in the dirt of badly parked white vans 😂

easytip · 03/07/2024 16:41

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Bruisername · 03/07/2024 16:42

And my seat is probably one of the safest seats in the country. So my vote will be nothing but a protest vote unless I vote for the incumbent.

easytip · 03/07/2024 16:42

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easytip · 03/07/2024 16:42

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US2gether · 03/07/2024 16:43

Is this a way to get Tories more votes 'vote for who you like the least '. Probably the Tories for most. I'd hate to worry it might be counted as a tory vote, how awful 😖 🤢🤮

Bollindger · 03/07/2024 16:44

I did the vote count for Brexit.
Let me tell you this..
They put you all at tables inside a big area so people can walk around the outside and watch.

A bin is emptied onto the table, and you put the cards vote down and count to 100. Bands go around it, you agree the correct number in the bin totals . If not you recount.
Count who was voted for, numbers checked....
The spoilt vote are just treated like another candidate.

Someone else looks to see if anything on it counts as a vote. By law they are not shown it to anyone, so 2 people see it .
So yeah great idea.
Maybe vote green as that will show your protesting.

Bruisername · 03/07/2024 16:44

I actually have very few to choose from in my seat and they all have things that I find morally abhorrent.

I object to voting for the least worse option tbh. Especially when it will make zero difference on my seat

Runnerinthenight · 03/07/2024 16:45

I think spoiling a ballot paper is utterly pointless.

If you are going to rock up to the polling station then vote for the one you object to least.

easytip · 03/07/2024 16:45

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Runnerinthenight · 03/07/2024 16:46

Bruisername · 03/07/2024 16:44

I actually have very few to choose from in my seat and they all have things that I find morally abhorrent.

I object to voting for the least worse option tbh. Especially when it will make zero difference on my seat

Then stay at home.