Considering spoiling my ballot

[Itisallgoingtobeok]

It makes me really sad to say this, but for the first time in my voting life I'm considering spoiling my ballot. I don't always vote the same way, but I've just looked at who is standing in the May elections and I can't bring myself to vote for any of them.

Even the "least worst" doesn't represent me... I feel if I vote for them I'm endorsing them, and I am definitely not, they are just marginally better than the others.

I was hoping for a decent independent candidate, but sadly no luck there.

Any others in the same boat? What will you do?

Sadly, for the first time in the 40 odd years I’ve been eligible to vote, I feel exactly the same as you.

Agree.

Was thinking of getting some AHF stickers and putting a few of them on my paper.

My local green party and lib dems are both TWAW. (I think the candidate is a TM actually)

I can't vote for Labour knowing what they'll do to kids.

I can't vote for the torys as I'm one of the poorly scroungers they hate.

I can see why you feel like this, but nobody will care about your protest.

You could save yourself the effort and just not vote at all, or try to pick the one you feel is least awful.

Spoiling your paper is a complete waste of time. No one will give it a second glance.

Why bother doing it at all? Just don’t vote 🥴

I work as a policing station inspector and no one gives a hoot about spoilt papers - it’s exactly as meaningless as not voting.

I have been drawing a cock and hairy balls on my ballot papers for the past 5 years or so since deciding that all our representatives are useless, gutless, witless self-serving bastards.

There really is no one I want to vote for. We need another Monster Raving Loony party so we can show how we are all feeling.

I don't agree with spoiling your ballot, what does that achieve?

I know what you mean, I think I might just scribble all over mine with my crayons.

I fully understand what you mean, but I think when it comes to local elections - the results of which often have FAR MORE impact on daily life than a GE - it's possible to look at the track record and separate it from the shit show of Westminster politics. Who has the best ideas for where you live? Have the incumbents done what they said they'd do, or do you need a change?

Don't waste your vote by spoiling it.

Just don't vote that's what I'm doing .

That's interesting. I was reading about spoiled ballots and the government website said they count them and report them as spoiled so treated differently to not voting at all. A no show is seen as "I don't care, not interested" whereas a spoiled ballot is "I care, but there is nobody I want to vote for". Ultimately I know it will make little difference unless a large section of the public do the same.

@Oblomov24 to my mind, it means that yes I can be bothered to turn up to the polling station, but that there is no-one on the ballot who deserves my vote.

I can't ignore that women died fighting for the right to vote, so turning up is important to me.

If you work at a polling station, (I am assuming you meant that and not policing station!) then you should know that what you have said is a load of tripe. Spoiling your vote is NOT pointless. It's much better than staying at home and not going! (Obviously voting is better than spoiling, but spoiling is better than nothing!)

What is spoiling your ballot, and how do you do it? - Voting Counts

I've been looking from this aspect too. The local records are as bad as the national ones. Badly thought through plans, no proposals for fixing things that are broken, just mud slinging at each other.

Correct @Itisallgoingtobeok As I said, a spoiled vote is a much better idea than just not being faffed to show! Voting for someone is better of course, but not if you are not happy with ANY of the candidates/parties.

I can't believe someone who works at a polling station told you to just not go! Gobsmacked!

@AmandaHoldensLips - agree on the vote for women aspect, that's why I will do something, I will show up and vote.

I’m in an area where Labour all have the majority and have been wrecking our city for donkeys years, The waste of money, the corruption and unpleasant candidates for both councillors and MPs - there’s not a right one among them. I’m trying to find the least obnoxious and least worst in terms of what they say they are going to do, but bloody hell, I’m struggling. I don’t think spoiling your ballot paper will achieve anything other than providing an outlet for your anger. But if you want to do that, I’d totally understand .

@Smallyeti - it really is a struggle isn't it? I have the same issue but it's the Tories rather than Labour.

Yes!

I've spoiled many polling cards in my time. I often write 'no suitable candidate or policy' across the paper. The fact people take the time to turn up and deliberately ruin their vote matters. I cared enough to plan my day around turning up. I'm also a swing voter and my vote is up for grabs if anyone appeals to me. It's a form of protest, and protesting is valid and worthy. Don;t let anyone say otherwise.

Like you, I feel politically homeless.

I want to vote, for all the reasons above, but wanted to see an independent that I thought would be like minded.

Tories will still get in here and I can’t abide that. So I spoilt my vote in the hope that many others will and hopefully they’ll be counted (that we’re all unhappy).

Itisallgoingtobeok
It’s like choosing whether you’d rather have Ebola or the Bubonic Plague.

Labour have f’d up just about everything, the Tory’s will do the same given the chance and the others sound vague, clueless and hopeless (so exactly like the big 2, but with no chance of getting elected.)

It's better to go and spoil your ballot than not vote. Spoiled ballots are counted and you're making it clear there was no one for you to vote but you want to vote, not voting could be for a variety of reasons.

No you're wrong.

Spoiled paper is a protest vote.