How should I vote?

[KayHarker]

Yes, I am too lazy to do my own thinking.

I am genuine floating voter in a swing seat that is overwhelmingly Tory/Labour. I've liked Nick Clegg and vince Cable but there is literally no point in voting for them here. I don't want to not vote at all, but I'm in a quandary.

What would you do?

Have you had a look at your MP's voting record - are they local - are they working hard - where do the other candidates live - do they care about the community?

here

Labour.

The tories terrify me.

Have the conviction to vote for the party you agree with most. If everyone took your current approach and stayed at home thinking there was no point voting then the other parties win by default. If, on the other hand, you vote for the party you like best and if a lot of other people in your area happen to do the same, you will get a change of MP.

I agree with Amber.

omni, thanks. That leaves me in more of a quandary.

chil, thanks, I never intended not to vote, I am just in a real quandary who to vote for. If I vote for labour I'm voting for loads of things I really despise. Ditto the conservatives.

What would be the worst result for you though where you live? A Tory MP or a Labour one?

What do you despise the most?

What do you care most about?

You must vote for who you want to win. Forget about whether or not you think they'll get it. It's people who vote like that who have created this ridiculously unfair two-party race. Everyone, IMO, should vote for who they want to win.

I guess I care the most about civil liberties issues. squeals which makes me a tory on this vote because my sitting lab MP is very pro ID cards etc. Oh bum.

Mrs Wobble but it would be an entirely wasted vote. I know what I want to do, but under the current system, until electoral reform, I don't seem what choice we have.

You could argue that if there is a hung parliament after the election though Kay - the figures will be looked at and if the Lib Dems have a majority of the vote and yet onle x amount of seats it will more of an argument for PR. So therefore your vote will have counted.

I'm in the same conflicted position.

Every party gives me a reason for running screaming from the poll booth.

Our constituency in dyed in the wool Tory. Not a chance of any other party getting so much of a sniff. They haven't even bothered putting boards up.

So I've considered going Lib Dem just for the sake of voting, but it seems like such a cop out - and I can't be doing with the Lib Dems.

Argh.

omni, good point. Such a gamble though. Doest I have the balls to do it?

Entirely wasted? But how do you know there aren't several thousand other people in your area all going to vote Lib Dem on Thursday? Voting based on what happened last time or what other people may or may not do is not a good strategy IMHO.

Totally agree with those who say vote for who you believe in most - voting strategically is not a good idea IMO.

Good points all. I've got a lot to ponder on this week.

I guess I can't help. I don't have a problem with ID cards. I do have a problem with Tory cuts to children's services. They would let the banks off the hook by failing to get proper international regulation. They would stop guarantees of work for teenagers and ask families to pay the brunt of the cost of the recession. Still, good luck, glad you are voting, even if you do go blue!

Not entirely wasted if the majority of voters in your area are in the same position as you and all decide to actually vote for the MP they want in, rather than the least bad scenario they can consider.

Labour

you did ask

The Tories have said they will cut Sure Start, job guarantees for teenagers, and child tax credits and they have said they won't protect children's centres, youth services or schools so, what aspect of cuts to children's services is dubious? The only question is how deep and how damaging.

Cuts are coming whatever we do, aren't they? I'm swaying with the wind here, it's ridiculous.

Cuts are coming but not all cuts are the same. There is a huge difference between the labour approach, cuts done carefully and thoughtfully based on real understanding of how public services actually work, together with some decisions about what is low priority (road say rather than rail) and the Tory approach of salami slice and slash and burn based on fantasies about waste and inefficiency, set from on high.

kay, vote positively, vote with your heart, vote libdem. lots of people are registering to do just that. omni is right, the overall figures will be scrutinised and if the libdems with the popular vote, electoral reform will follow. your vote is not wasted if you vote for who you want. don't succumb to scaremongering and cynicism.

good luck.