Spoiling my ballot

[Muststopfaffing]

I’ve decided to spoil my ballot in December. I cannot vote for the shit shows that are the Lib Dems, Labour or the Greens and even if the Tories had a better stance on women’s rights I can’t in all good conscience vote for them. I’m fuming that there is no one I can vote for as I feel very strongly that as so many fought for us to get the vote, and while so many women across the world don’t have it, all women should vote. I’m hoping the Suffragettes will forgive me- “No self respecting woman...” and all that. Plus, one party has had a 20,000+ majority in every election in my constituency since time began.

I have been wondering what I’m going to write on my ballot paper though. I want to write something that will get the message across to someone who has no idea what’s going on. I thought about the classic sticker woman “women don’t have penises” but I suspect round my rural neck of the woods that might be too subtle- as if anyone could think anything except only men have penises! I’ve also thought about “Google the Cotton Ceiling” but I’m not sure that’s right either.

For anyone who’s planning to spoil their ballot, what are you going to write?

Spoiling your vote is irresponsible. You have no right to complain if you don't show up and make an educated choice. Best of the worst is still something

I either turn up and spoil it or dont bother at all.
I reckon of the two choices, actually bothering is the better option. The best of the worst isnt good enough. The best of the worst makes women (adult human females) disappear. I wont be able to complain, when men make all the choices for me. They wont let me, because to them I'm a non man. I dont count, I dont matter.

Having had a frustrating call where the woman on the other end simply didn't seem to understand that saying you identify as a woman doesn't make it so I'm going to vote conservative. They are abhorrent in many ways but that's our best chance of fighting back. Any other party will support reform of the GRA and at that point it's largely too late.

"He has repeatedly attempted to block bills relating to legislation on female genital mutilation and upskirting."

My opinion of this MP matches yours.

He did not however block these because of their content. But because he thinks it wrong that new criminal offences be created without full scrutiny (of the kind a government Bill would go through).

Spoiling ballots has been coming up so much lately and if posts here are a temperature check it's possible that really large numbers, maybe never been seen before numbers, of spoilt ballots will be recorded this election.

I'm really hoping that if it does happen like that we will hear about it in the papers.

He did not however block these because of their content.

Correct.

...but because he thinks it wrong that new criminal offences be created without full scrutiny

My arse. Chope, McVey's fancy man and one or two chums like to frustrate opposition backbench bills for sport. They prevent the scrutiny they say is lacking by asking a gazillion questions about the entirely non-controversial bill preceding on the order paper.

When Chope was leader of Wandsworth council, he chucked my nan out of her flat so they could sell it to developers. Hate the smug shit, I do.

The obvious point to spoiling your ballot rather than not turning up is that you are counted in the turnout and are therefore part of the democratic process. Quite different to not bothering to turn out at all.

While you're at it, you might as well add a slogan if you are so inclined. Candidates or agents DO see them, because they go through the spoiled ballots to check none can be interpreted as a vote for them.

Spoke ballot peppers don't send a message. No one analyses the homogeneity of spoilt ballot papers and develops policy to attract protest voters. I understand the frustration of feeling that you have no voice but writing to all the candidates to explain why you couldn't vote for them would have much more impact, particularly if you publish the letters.

I dont think you should spoil your ballot paper because there are other issues at stake which affect women just as much or more than the GRA. Universal credit, abortion rights, workers rights to name a few. Personally I think you should vote for whoever is most likely to get the Tories out. The Lib Dems have zero chance of winning a majority so they won't be implementing all their policies, however they could provide some balance if the conservatives are the largest party but don't have a majority.

That said, I can see why the conservatives look appealling to anyone who cares about women's rights.

Ok I am nearly talking myself into voting Tory now.

*Spoiling ballots has been coming up so much lately and if posts here are a temperature check it's possible that really large numbers, maybe never been seen before numbers, of spoilt ballots will be recorded this election.

I'm really hoping that if it does happen like that we will hear about it in the papers.*

The reason many of us are considering spoiling our ballots is, unfortunately, almost unheard of outside Mumsnet. How many people in RL understand the concept of trans ideology, and the consequences self-ID will have? And how many people in RL know that nearly all the parties intend to implement it and thereby remove women's human rights and totally dismantle safeguarding?

I can't spend time working against this shit, talking to people about it, writing to people about it, contributing to campaigns, going to meetings, stickering bloody changing rooms and toilets and then walk into a voting booth and tick a box for it. I can't.

I doubt there will be a significant increase in spoiled votes.

But even if there were, there wouid be no discussion about why, because there is no information kept on how the papers were spoiled.

So no-one will know how many were through ignorance, how many through error, how many as a protest, let alone what the protest might be about. It's not going to send a message about any particular issue, though an increase might give succour to the those campaigning for a NOTA option for all elections.

If we can no longer define what a woman is then self ID becomes EVERY issue for women.

If we cannot say the sex, we cannot say the sexism.

This will cover every facet of life and law. We can no longer claim sexual discrimination, maternity rights at work, for example. TRAs already claim that men can have abortions.

How can we say that UC discriminates against women when men are claiming to be women?

The very rules that are supposed to protect women based on sex are being dismantled in front of our eyes and I won't play a part in that.

Woman is becoming a 'dirty' word and this slippery slope won't stop until we can no longer use that defining word.

It's already moved to presenters saying "cis woman" or sometimes "cis man". This will just become "cis" eventually if gender ideologists have their way.

Hi - pretty sure I've posted this elsewhere but it's my understanding that a protest vote is only counted by doing this @Muststopfaffing

But I might be wrong!

That's not correct midcenturylegs

A ballot can be spoiled in many ways, even by leaving it blank.

What you are linking (two other threads about it) is actually a campaign leaflet (for electoral reform, not a specific party) which seems to be playing on voter ignorance. Presumably to get them to read the fuller version.

While you're at it, you might as well add a slogan if you are so *
inclined
Yeah on other threads we have discussed what to write. Still no consensus but I've been busy recently, so possibly by now there is a swing to what to write.

particularly if you publish the letters
Yeah with my full name and occupation and where I live. No chance. Have you seen the women losing jobs over this stuff.

I dont think you should spoil your ballot paper because there are other issues at stake which affect women just as much or more than the GRA
Yet I see it as if women no longer exist as a class, nothing will help us with any other issue. Men will identify as women, then solve all the womens problems that relate to them as women. Not us cunty type women. We will again be at the back of the queue whilst the "real" women solve issues and get the job done. Cos you know they can woman better than us, so I bet they can problem solve better than us. It's been said a while ago now. A MP was asked if parliament was made up of 50% men and 50% transwomen would that be equality. The answer, yes. Of course.

That's it for me too, in a nutshell SheDressed it's really counter intuitive and I continue to go round in circles but I can't tick a box that agrees to what I'm fighting against. That would be really daft.

@HotPenguin Ok I am nearly talking myself into voting Tory now.
Haha! Nooo..don’t do it!!

I have just read Johnson’s comments (albeit 20 years ago but I doubt his opinion has changed) about single mothers and his opinion that children of single mothers are “ill-raised, ignorant, aggressive and illegitimate". What with the inevitable sell off of the NHS to private US pharma companies under his leadership, I have decided to hold my nose and vote Labour.

How bad can it be... 🤦‍♀️

Do what you will with your vote, but I think this is a waste to waste it when our country is at such a crossroads

The election is not even about Brexit, we are facing being left without an NHS and the additional delight of all our data being gifted to big pharma in the USA.

I totally agree all this bollocks is wrong, but it will be better challenged in more imaginative ways, directly with retailers and politicians etc, than spoiling your ballot paper, your point will simply be lost

Then you go right ahead and vote Billy, some of us cannot vote for the erasing of our very self.

The number of spoilt ballot papers is officially recorded. In the last election some people posted pictures of their spoilt papers on SM (although it's legal to spoil your paper I have a feeling that taking pictures is prohibited).

Spoiling mine. Not going to vote for least worst and the only time I voted tactically was 2010 and look where that got us.

Whole system is a shower of shite so my ballot represents a lack of faith in the tawdry, lying load of plop. Current political system is not legitimate to me.

None of the above.

Well I'm almost at the point of deciding to vote Tory. The single issue I agree with the Tories on is that child safeguarding is important and that my 9 yr old daughter has a right to safety, privacy and dignity. That she has a right to spaces away from men who have a sexual fetish about dressing in so-called women's clothing and bog standard sexual predators too who can easily access mixed sex spaces without any challenge.

I'm totally anti Brexit and austerity (plus anti tax breaks for the rich) but frankly the safeguarding around my daughter is the single most important issue to me. We've been trying to raise the fact that the way the TRA agenda is going it is ERASING the rights of young girls and women and it's done sweet FA. I can see no better way to get across that the rights of women and girls is the biggest issue to me. If I vote Tory I will also adorn my ballot with Woman=adult human female. Hopefully that'll mean they need to decide if the ballot is spoilt so they'll see why I'm voting Tory (I need to look up how to do this effectively). But this is what I'm thinking of. Yes, Brexit will be shit but I think there's a good chance it'll happen under Labour anyway because Corbyn is pro-Brexit.

Anyway, I think this is the only thing I can do in good conscience.

I am dreading the day I have to tell my daughter - so happy that she now has single sex toilets at school and finally going to toilet at school instead of holding it as a result - that in reality there are now no single sex spaces. She will self exclude from public life as a result, no doubt. What a shitty world for her to grow up in.

I spoiled mine, I wrote a scathing analysis of each candidate / party. In my constituency I disagree with the polices of 2 of the parties, and another candidate has had a scandalous year so no way for him. I do like the Green Party for their environmental polices, but I don't think they have a grasp in other areas.

Discussing the Green Party with DH, and he had what I thought was a great idea, that instead of the cabinet being made up of random MPs who happen to be there. It should have directly electable positions for SUITABLE and qualified candidates in that field. I.e. a Green Party MP as the environment minister, or an experienced ex military MP in a Defence etc.

But it’s all already happening under the Tories