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Original poster

So c'mon then who DIDN'T vote?

41 replies

Lucycat · 04/05/2007 10:56

shame on you all.....

Just checking out the local results and there was a 36.7% turnout in our local authority, why so low, it was a gorgeous day, so no 'bad weather' excuses.

Were your candidates really that bad?

OP posts:

saltire · 04/05/2007 11:19

Quad, I'm in scotland, so that may have had something to dowith the folding thing. They would have said to you when you put it in the ballot box.

ceolas · 04/05/2007 11:20

I think the not folding is to do with the electronic reading.

I'm so at the mess made of things up here. there should have been much more publicity explaining the voting system. But it also saddens me that 100,000 people didn't read the instructions on the voting papers.

nickytwotimes · 04/05/2007 11:23

the ladies at our polling station were great at explaining the system, but then i do live in the arse end of nowhere so they had plenty of time!
agree it is a shame about the cock up here in scotland. i also felt it might discourage people further.

Bensonbluebird · 04/05/2007 11:24

The thing about not folding ballot papers was so that the electronic readers would work, not that they did work...

Overrun · 04/05/2007 11:24

I did, but couldn't believe the lack of enthusiasm around yesterday, barely any one even mentioned it. I know some people feel quite furtive about voting, but I just got a feeling of apathy and disinterest. I find that hard to understand, as always get a bit excited on election days, and truely believe that people should take the trouble to vote.
I waited for dh to get home, and we bundled our 3 dcs into pushchairs in their pjs and walked to the polling station

PrettyCandles · 04/05/2007 11:25

Showfohands, you should have called the Conservative candidate and explained that you had no way of getting to the polling station due to etc etc. They would have laid on a car to take you, whereupon you could have gone in and placed a protest vote against them!

I think it's an utter disgrace for anyone not to exercise their vote. Even if you merely spoil your ballot. It is our duty as good citizens to vote - if only out of respect to the people who fought to give us this right and to keep this right for us. In some countries this duty is taken so seriously that you are obliged by law to vote, and can be fined if you don't do so. Shamefully, 40% is considered a good turnout here in the UK.

How can we possibly complain about the government or local council if we don't get involved in the election? If only 40% of the electorate vote in a General Election, then - even if the winning party get a clear majority - we find ourselves led by a government representing and selected by a minority of citizens.

expatinscotland · 04/05/2007 11:26

Then those folded papers should be counted by hand.

These low turnouts are a disgrace.

PrettyCandles · 04/05/2007 11:26

Showofhands - that polemic wasn't aimed at you. I was thinking about the apathetic ones.

fannyannie · 04/05/2007 11:29

I didn't vote because I couldn't get to my 'local' polling station. Had MW appointment in the morning, another commitment early afternoon and seen as though walking to my 'local' polling station on my own, without being 35 weeks pg, takes at least 15-20 minutes there was no way I had the energy to spend over 1hr walking to and from the polling station with the DS's in tow.

Dh didn't get home from work until 9.45pm so I didn't have time to walk down when he got back.

MrsFish · 04/05/2007 11:32

We didn't vote because there wasn't an election where we are. There were 5 spaces and only 4 candidates, so they all got seats

NomDePlume · 04/05/2007 11:36

I didn't, neither did DH. I didn't even realise they were on. Saw no signs for polling stations and whatnot, usually they are everywhere at election time. No polling cards either, maybe they don't know we've moved ??

PrettyCandles · 04/05/2007 11:39

Probably, NdP. We missed out on the local elections last year because we hadn't yet been moved from our previous borough's electoral rol to the new one's.

Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 04/05/2007 11:39

I did, dh didn't, ds1 did - his first time but he spoiled his paper on purpose 'cos he says they're all crap.

GreebosWhiskers · 04/05/2007 11:41

I voted - waited 'til dh got in from work & strolled the 200m to our polling station. 6 month old ds was in his sling grinning at everyone & the women handing out the papers were more interested in him than in anything else lol.
I can't believe the balls-up we've had here in Scotland - it's actually bluidy embarrassing. Loads of folk are saying we shouldn't have had the 2 different votes on the same day; WTF - are we as a nation so thick that we can't understand where to put a cross & where to write a number?
Apparently an old guy made his protest by walking into a polling station & smashing up the ballot boxes with a walking stick/golf club type thing (dh saw the news report this morning but was only half awake so may have dreamed it).
That's one way to get your opinion across

ShowOfHands · 04/05/2007 11:50

PrettyCandles- was feeling a bit put in my place.

Not only do I usually vote, I actively campaign too, although ridiculously I campaign in the neighbouring ward where every vote really does count. I know being very pregnant is no excuse and I could have found a way down there if I really had wanted to. I am thoroughly ashamed as usually I'm the first to criticise voter apathy.

saltire · 04/05/2007 12:01

I don't know if all the voided votes were because of folded ballot papers. I know the lady I spoke to in the hall, an elderly woman was telling me she just couldn't understand how the papers worked,and had got confused!
It is embarassing though, we may end up with a First Minsiter who wasn't the choice of all the voters because of the balls -up there's been

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