Anyone else unsure who to vote for?

[swiggless]

Used to be a Labour supporter but they don't stand in my constituency (or when they do, they come 5th or 6th). It's between SNP, Lib Dem and Tories (in that order) here. I physically can't vote for the latter two, however I'm not enthusiastic to vote SNP, despite voting for them previously. Greens aren't standing either. I hate the idea of spoiling my ballot but I genuinely don't know what to do. Anyone else in the same situation (not necessarily stuck between the same parties)?

SNP/Green votes cast.

Queues at polling stations all over Edinburgh. I think quite a few will still be handing out ballot papers for a wee while yet.

@WouldBeGood

I think the Buckfast has been broken out tonight

😂 As someone who lived in the SW I really don't understand the whole drinking of buckfast! Although if you ever visit Devon it's actually a really beautiful place to visit including where it's made!

Some casual classism there from @WouldBeGood

She was perfectly sober and seemed lovely. I too am perfectly sober. Not sure who you were suggesting was drinking buckfast so covering both bases.

I have tried it in my younger days. It's a rite of passage round here. Thankfully not to my taste

I hope that despite the weather, there was a good turn out as whether I will be happy with the result it is important that people do vote and maybe i do hope that big there is arise in spoiled papers then parties take note.

@SoMuchForSummerLove

Bloody hell *@MissBarbary* I think you're reading a wee bit much info people passing the time of day with their neighbours.

No , not really. It's perfectly clear that there should not be anti any party or pro party chat at the polling station.

@XDownwiththissortofthingX

SNP/Green votes cast.

Queues at polling stations all over Edinburgh. I think quite a few will still be handing out ballot papers for a wee while yet.

Snap!🙌🤞

I find the social shame about voting Conservative really interesting! My DH, fearing this as a tactical move from me, lost it swearing for a minute and then asked me not to please tell him what I ended up doing. Not voting Tory is just a rule where he’s from. Our whatsapp group dealt with this via jokes at my expense. That’s the first time I’ve done it and the social shame just wasn’t quite strong enough to hold me back though it was close.

I agree @ATieLikeRichardGere. I just had to look at it as a strategic move to fight a battle in an ongoing war on women and have explained that to anyone who’s nipped at me. I’ve been forced into it by the SNP 🤷🏻‍♀️

Twitter (except Alba) thinking SNP done ok. Maybe just a majority or on the cusp.

I also agree @ATieLikeRichardGere we really need to get out of the culture of not doing something because our grannies would spin in their graves. I still couldn't vote Tory but then I did have an independent in my choices.

The STV news had interviews with some voters.

Asylum seekers can now vote (not saying that's a bad thing), the lad they asked - he voted SNP because ..... well, the SNP was the party that gave him this right.

I think I heard there are 20,000 voters in this category.

I agree about the legacy around voting Tory, but let's be honest, Johnson's government is openly and wilfully corrupt, so yes, I (quietly, in my own mind) judge those who vote for them.

I get that there are somewhat extenuating circumstances in this particular election, but it's still a line I felt I couldn't cross. Part legacy, part current cultural context, who knows.

Well that's brilliant @LizzieMacQueen what a feeling it must be to flee your own nation, only to be treated as a citizen in the one you end up in.

I'd feel more social shame about voting SN, given their track record on... Well, everything.

Like the family behind us with their bedecked car and yes t shirts 🙄, Now that's social shame 😂. I voted Tory for the first time. I'm not ashamed.

I've voted Tory a few times now, always tactically, and feel absolutely no shame despite it traditionally not being the 'done thing' in my background. A lot of my family are doing the same, so the sands are shifting a bit. The SNP have given us something even worse to vote against.

I've only ever seen people slagging off political merch on here when it's SNP merch. I think that if feels there's a disproportionate amount of it around precisely because people don't advertise their Tory vote. I know that if I voted Tory I wouldn't admit it - there's a reason #StockholmSyndrome is trending on Twitter today.

Yes my list vote went to the tories. I had a brief dither in the voting booth as I wanted to give a vote for the lib dems but then I remembered the hate crime bill and that was that.

My local Lib Dem person is fantastic so they'll get my votes when the local council comes up.

I don't judge people over politics, any one person's vote isn't that important and none of us is voting for isis.

I'm hoping Anas makes a good showing for Labour, he's run a great campaign.

Ha, I think that could be the country's slogan for this year:

then I remembered the hate crime bill and that was that

I voted Tory for the first time. I'm not ashamed.

You will be.

Right.... so if you voted Conservative as a protest vote against the SNP you should hang your head in utter shame? Because anyone in their right mind votes SNP, or Green at a push?

Can you not see how that sort of rhetoric is so insulting? Can't all the "you should be ashamed" or "I WILL NEVER EVER VOTE TORY" posters understand that other people have different political opinions and (shock, horror) not everyone has to thin the same way? I mean, I would never vote SNP, ever. But I am well aware that people have a choice and if people choose to vote SNP it's up to them. I'm not coming on here calling them thick, or deluded or posting in block capitals exactly what I think of Ms Sturgeon and the rest of them.

Jeezo. And some SNP supporters can't see why we're all so desperate to avoid another divisive referendum?

@TheSandman

I voted Tory for the first time. I'm not ashamed.

You will be.

Disgusting response. We live in a democracy part of democracy is the right to FREELY chose who you vote for whether that's SNP, Tory, Alba, Labour etc etc.

Yes raspberry.

"And some SNP supporters can't see why we're all so desperate to avoid another divisive referendum?"

Funnily enough, it's usually SNP supporters who don't remember it as divisive or just had "friendly banter". People on the No side usually had a different experience.

@RaspberryCoulis I agree, nobody should be ashamed of their vote, and we should all be free to vote for whoever etc etc. For what its worth I wouldn't vote for the Greens with a gun to my head.

But I can't understand voting for a party which just wantonly breaks laws and doesn't give a fuck. All that does is give them licence to act even more badly. They're shitting all over us and reaping great rewards for doing so.

(As I type that I realise I'm talking about Tories and you'll think the same could be said for the SNP, so let's just agree it's an absolute shitshow of an election year and go to the pub ).

Also - and I think I've said this before on another thread - Scotsnet can often be quite a tricky place for SNP supporters. I'm SNP ambivalent and even I feel it. We're often painted as thick, entranced by the cult of Saint Nic, etc. And we're pretty much outnumbered on this board. I suppose it's human nature to want to turn the tables a bit sometimes.

I voted Tory, and I am not ashamed. I have experienced unbelievable bile from SNP supporters in the past, they should be ashamed of their behaviour. No political opinion excuses that.

I think that maybe some SNP supporters on here have been getting a taste of what it felt like for anyone against independence on any other forum for years. Some of the posting was vile and whilst there was obviously some from both sides, most ordinary no voters were scared to post because of the concentrated efforts of the "cyber nats". This board is the only place that people against the SNP had to feel a bit of camaraderie.