Police commissioner elections: I'm spoiling my paper

[Cartoonjane]

What a lot of popycock this is. It seems to me to be a leaflet making competition as I don't know any of the candidates. I have decided to spoil my paper.

I considered doing the same, as I disagree with the whole idea and no absolutely nothing about any of the candidates. However, in the end I decided I had better vote against the BNP and that was quite important.

I'm doing the same Cartoon. I have to go and vote (I just couldn't bring myself not to turn up!) but I'm spoiling my paper.

It's nonsense.

I was really struggling with the idea of not turning up. I am evangelical about voting.

Spoiling my paper, that I can do.

I was really struggling with the idea of not turning up. I am evangelical about voting.

Spoiling my paper, that I can do.

Oops, sorry!

I'm struggling with this too - the thought of not voting in any election just seems completely wrong, but don't really agree with the concept and not one of the candidates has deigned to send a leaflet so no idea what they stand for.

Thankfully no BNP candidate round here, though there is UKIP - not in the same league I know, but still think I should at least try to keep them out.

Sounds like a reasonable alternative. Getting a bit sick of hearing how they are worried about a low turn out when they haven't even bothered to put one leaflet through my door to tell me who the candidates are.

That's why I'm spoiling my paper poppywearer and pirates. I just can't bring myself not to vote. I am trying to get my friends to do the same hoping that if enough people spoil some sort of message will get through. My partner has already done his as he has a postal vote.

We haven't had a single leaflet about all of this. I think I am going to go down the spoilt paper route too.

Given that police chiefs have presided over some massive cover-ups and cock-ups in recent years is no-one even slightly suspicious that they might have a vested interest in making sure this initiative fails at the first hurdle? Worried about what the new commissioners will do when they have the mandate of the electorate to start shining lights into skeleton-filled closets....?

If you don't know the candidates, make an effort to find out who they are.

Decisions are made by the ones who show up. Spoiling your paper won't stop there being a police commissioner in your area. If you don't use your vote, then the people who do will make the choice without you.

We have only had one flyer through the door. if they were that bothered surely they should promote themselves bettter?

I haven't decided what to do yet.

Hmm, I'm unsure - like others, I've considered not voting, and considered spoiling my ballot.

It's actually very easy to find out who your candidates are though - www.policeelections.com - you enter you postcode and it brings them up.

I found out who my candidates were and have gone to speak to all of them. I now know who I am voting for.

I found out who my candidates were, read up on them all, discovered one has being doing work for years with survivors of Domestic Abuse, and has promised to recruit more DA Advisors, so have chosen to vote for him.

This is a good website HERE that is very informative.

I understand it, but don't think that a spoiled vote is agood idea, God knows who might get in then.

My understanding was that there was only going to be online publicity for candidates although I have seen billboard posters for an independant candidate.

I'm going to vote because the BNP / Tory / UKIP supporters will be out like a rash round our way, so it will help to dilute their vote if nothing else. We have a BNP councillor in a village near us, so there is a possibility of us getting some right wing headcase, however limited their powers.

What I don't understand is why the candidates are political party affiliates. I'm not against the principle of elected police commissioners per se, but why can't we vote for police commissioners who are all independent and who stand on their own agendas for doing the job?

Or have I missed something fundamental?

I don't want the whole system. I don't want to contribute to it. I am hoping that if enough people spoil their paper it will undermine the whole thing and I suppose what I want is for it to be scrapped.

Maybe we could get an online campaign going about DV & police commissioners?

www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/data/files/PCCs_Welsh_Womens_Aid_Manifesto_FINAL.pdf

www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-violence-articles.asp?section=00010001002200400001&sectionTitle=Articles%3A+police&itemid=2917

I'm tempted to vote for the independent candidate for 2 reasons:

1. To avoid political parties feeling like this is a route their high-fliers can take
2. Because she's the only candidate who has bothered to put a leaflet through my door/put posters up locally.

"I don't want the whole system. I don't want to contribute to it."

Do you believe the police are accountable via the current system? I don't.

And you know what always makes things more fair and accountable - introducing party politics!