Spoilt votes - post them here so that the parties/papers can see them

[MrsFogi]

I know there is a split of opinion about spoiling ballots vs voting for the least bad option.

If you do decide to spoil your ballot it feel free to post a photo of it here (be careful not to include any information that identifies you and in particular not to include the ballot's unique identification number) in case any of our loitering journalists wish to pick up the story or in the hope of giving the parties/candidates some pause for thought.

In case it is of interest (and you want a place to post your views for/against spoiling ballots), there have been a number of threads about spoiling ballots, a few links below:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3751902-Spoiling-my-ballot?pg=2 www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3749890-Can-we-talk-spoiling-ballots-again-sorry
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3743237-advice-on-spoiling-ballot
Advice on Spoiling your vote

How about "Women: Disappointing MRAs for 200,000 Years"

Speaking of the Suffragettes, just seen a man dressed up as one on FB talking about the feminist movement...

I think given the circumstances Pankhurst would understand and possibly spoilt her ballot too. She didn't suffer fools.

Women are turning out and intentionally proving they came to the ballot box, used that hard won democratic right, and protesting the representation on offer which intentionally belittles and excludes them.

There seems an overlaying theme from brand new posters on FWR today along the lines of protesting women getting pissed off instead of tolerating abuse nicely. There's a freedom programme for that: 'hold still, put me first and don't upset me when I need to abuse you' is something many FWR women know all about. And have dedicated much time and shared experience to helping other women recognise it and be strong enough to get the fuck away from it.

I will have Bloody Disappointing Woman on my t shirt thank you.

EdithWeston - who has belittled their experience? Many of us have said - repeatedly - that we're not doing this to get noticed, but for reasons of conscience. I don't expect anyone to notice my paper, but I do want to be included in the turnout figures.

There's a distinct whiff of "WTF are you doing with our votes? You are in group X and as you well know, votes of group X belong to party Y."

Now, which political party does that remind you of? Here's a clue: it's the authoritarian party.

Just got back from the polling station and I wavered between voting Tory and spoiling my ballot. In the end, and as I am in a safe Tory seat, I spoiled with a pre-made sticker saying no to self id and protect the rights of women and girls. My MP seems to be GC so my message is to the pathetic Lib Dem, Green and Labour candidates who hate women so much. They may read it, they may not but is it a vote that they could have won if they were not such witless woke fools.

Had this been a marginal seat I would have voted Tory without hesitation. And I have been a lifelong Labour voter.

I put my sticker on but it's raining here & my wet coat dripped on the corner & made the ink run. Didn't affect the words too much though.

DH voted Labour. I have it on good authority that our local Labour candidate is a good egg so I do hope she wins, I just couldn't bring myself to vote for the party.

WTF are you doing with our votes?

The attitude goes hand in hand with 'only people with the right political views are entitled to human rights'. A view beloved to a number of highly dodgy failed regimes in history.

Where has their experience been belittled? The reverse is true, actually. All the "oh you silly idiots, I would not give your ballot a second look" is clearly meant to belittle. Also somewhat worrying. Aren't they supposed to be neutral?

Most of us have clearly stated that we are spoiling our votes because we feel it's the right thing to do, not to get publicity for ourselves. I believe that it is inevitable that, if there is an upsurge in spoiled ballots, questions will be asked. However, if the parties can't be bothered to find out why many people bothered to turn out and yet didn't vote for a party, then more fool them.

I feel belittled by the tone of several replies, about it all being curious, or telling; as if the only reason to point out the lack of utility of spoiling was to pursue some other agenda.

Now you might find it inconvenient that you are coming across like that (and yes of course I know that intention might not match effect), and I expect to be further scolded for having different reactions to posts.

And I'll have to leave you to it. By the time I'll be posting again, the world will have moved on.

(And yes I will be keeping an eye on the number of spoiled ballots and if there is any reporting at all on that figure)

Edith no one is belittling anyone’s experiences of counting ballots, although there have been a variety of posters talking about varying experiences of this, so it’s not like yours is gospel.

We aren’t spoiling ballots for those who count them, we just don’t care how that effects you. We are spoiling them (and I think we’ve all independently voiced the same primary reason) because we want to vote but have no one to vote for. So spoiling is a way of ticking ‘none of the above’ in other countries. We are spoiling them because we can not let candidates think we are endorsing self ID by voting for them (and that’s what a vote is in reality, it’s taken as meaning we agree with all the manifesto). If doing so is noticed by anyone, if contacting candidates and papers to point out our spoiled vote is up for grabs by whoever stands against self ID gets any attention from politicians or the public then that’s an added bonus.

Of course you could easily have gathered this by reading the full thread, as it’s been said repeatedly.

Spoilt my ballot this afternoon, with a heavy heart but clear conscience 🖤

Woman = adult human female
Protect women's rights
No to self ID

Gutted that I couldn't take a photo as the only spare booth was in front of the staff there, but I did spoil it by writing "GRA reform betrays all female rights" then put the female symbol in each candidate's box.

Felt like fucking crying that I really had no other option: whoever wins, I would be ashamed if I'd helped put them there.

I would never have had the guts to do this without lurking and having my eyes well and truly opened on the FWR board over the last year or so.

Belittled and scolded...….. for goodness sake, get a grip. It's no one's job here to fit their opinions around your emotional neds.

I spoilt my ballot and it felt really strange - like I had done something illegal!

There seems an overlaying theme from brand new posters on FWR today along the lines of protesting women getting pissed off instead of tolerating abuse nicely. There's a freedom programme for that: 'hold still, put me first and don't upset me when I need to abuse you' is something many FWR women know all about. And have dedicated much time and shared experience to helping other women recognise it and be strong enough to get the fuck away from it.

This x 1000

There's a distinct whiff of "WTF are you doing with our votes? You are in group X and as you well know, votes of group X belong to party Y."

This.

Another spoilt vote here. It's a safe Labour seat, so my vote would make no difference anyway. But my conscience is clear - I haven't given any implied support to the parties planning to erase me. Including my sitting MP who has ignored my emails.

I had hoped to bump into a pollster who would enquire about my voting choices. I had a lot to say. But it was pissing down with rain so their usual spot was deserted.

Speaking of the Suffragettes, just seen a man dressed up as one on FB talking about the feminist movement...

Was he one of those special oppressed men, or a regular man feminist who centres other men in his feminism?

PJsatMidday did you spoil your paper because you disagree with GRA? Or because you disagree with the manifesto presented by all parties?

I copied an earlier message
"I will not endorse parties that are abolishing the legal status of women #notoselfID

I don't want to ruin the party, but sadly the spotty teenagers or bored people sat counting your donkey votes chucked them in the bin, and you've had zero political impact whatsoever.

What would have had more weight was taking all the passion and pride you feel and channeling it into activism. Like all the activist women who fought long and hard to fight for the right to have what you have refused to exercise.

I'm not trying to cause a ruckus, I'm not. But income from a country with compulsory voting. If we feel disengaged, we cast a donkey vote, a spoiled ballot. It has no meaning other than avoiding a fine.

Do you think the next government spend anytime analysing spoilt ballots. No. So what's the point?

I don't want to ruin the party, but sadly the spotty teenagers or bored people sat counting your donkey votes chucked them in the bin, and you've had zero political impact whatsoever

That is utter tripe. No ballot paper is chucked in the bin. I personally think spoiling your ballot paper is pointless but they certainly don't get binned.

Spoilt my ballot, can't write the message here as it's banned. Protect women's rights

I did exercise my right. I turned up to vote and made my feelings clear about what was on offer by spoiling my ballot.

Who are you to tell me that I have had zero political impact whatsoever? And how do you know that those of us who spoiled our ballots are not activists?