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

This thread has been a real eye opener. It’s been interesting seeing what feminist actually think of the GRA and main political parties. Thank you

Good! And thank you! The most interesting threads are elsewhere on the board, though.

Many of the issues are not just to do with strictly 'feminist' issues, though. I spoiled my vote for other reasons too.

I spoiled my ballot, so did DH.
Something I thought I'd never do.
Reasons were feminist and other reasons too.

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.

Read the thread. Many of us have been been fighting GRA reform for years. We've been ignored, belittled and even threatened by the parties we've traditionally voted for. They've made it abundantly clear that men come above women's safety and dignity. Their activists don't get to insult, abuse and threaten us and then demand our vote. Just no. And they can blame themselves for their well-deserved results. You don't get into power by sticking up two fingers at 51% of the population.

I walked out of my door with a pocketful of stickers but even then, up until the moment I walked up to the booth, I deliberated my decision. Do I hold my nose and vote Labour and hope that they see sense on women's rights, do I vote SDP, who broadly match my views on all issues bar Brexit and have my vote taken as endorsement of Brexit, or do I spoil?

Reader, I spoiled. I didn't take a photo in the polling station but I did take a snap of my stickers earlier (hence NC, my constituency would be easily googled even if I hid the name of it).

Explaining the message about "no to male violence". www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/man-drives-truck-jarrow-firm-1397453

Explaining the message about violence against women: www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/uproar-continues-over-theresa-may-at-gunpoint-labour-candidate-kate-osborne-as-local-party-rages_uk_5dc936f2e4b02bf579430453

Kate Osborne is entitled to free speech, but it has consequences.

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.

Gee. What great advice. Why didn't we think of that? Any more pearls of wisdom to throw before us?

What would have had more weight was taking all the passion and pride you feel and channeling it into activism.

This is exactly what so many of us have been doing.
Do catch up.

I don't think anyone other than the counters even see the spoiled papers.

Your vote will be recorded as a spoiled vote but that's it. The reason why won't be acknowledged by anyone.

This thread has been a real eye opener. It’s been interesting seeing what feminist actually think of the GRA and main political parties

I also suggest it is not just 'feminists', but if the wider general public had any indication of what was truly being furthered, and proposed, in the name of transgender ideology they would also be up in arms.

The problem is, and critical to why so many are spoiling their ballots, is that reforms are being sailed in under the radar - without debate ( at all), and without public consultation. It is all being presented as a done deal. The issues are profound, Involving our conceptions of sex, of what it means to be female in our society, the impact on our children and what they are being told, the impact on young lesbians and gay men......really first order stuff! and none of it is 'out there' for discussion. All debate closed down.

Perhaps we could try writing to our MPs? Maybe a petition or two?

🤷🏻‍♀️ the one thing I'm certain of is that your energy and conviction is worthwhile. And I agree with it wholeheartedly. But as I said. In a country with compulsory voting, donkey votes are just that. I don't know how else to effect any change without voting. Things do need to change.

If someone can tell me how not voting as best I can can change the things I despair about, then please. I'd love option two.

Your vote will be recorded as a spoiled vote but that's it. The reason why won't be acknowledged by anyone.*

It will be acknowledged by me. It's called integrity.

I spoilt mine too, with much resignation but on reflection I am glad I did. It felt the right thing to do, for me.
I live in one of the safest Tory seats in the country and the current MP, a BoJo crony, was parachuted in when the previous incumbent retired.
She is not well thought of locally and it will be interesting to see how her majority holds up. The LibDems will probably come second, but I could never vote for them with Jo Swinson in charge -- if she doesn't get the self ID issue what else is she hopeless on?
As for labour I might have voted for them holding my nose were it not for the appalling of mishmash policies on self-ID. And as for JC, I wouldn't trust him as far as I could spit.
DH has gone off to the count, his friend is the labour candidate, poor chap. I will ask him about numbers of and slogans on spoilt ballots when he gets back (at about 3am probably!)

But income from a country with compulsory voting. If we feel disengaged, we cast a donkey vote, a spoiled ballot.

Voting is optional here. The disengaged voter can choose to stay at home. Yet we have gone out in freezing rain to intentionally, and in some cases very creatively, spoil our ballots. This should be interpreted very differently from a "donkey vote" made to avoid a fine.

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

I've made my position perfectly clear on this thread.

I don't think anyone other than the counters even see the spoiled papers.

Party workers, candidates, and election agents may ask to see spoiled ballots, especially if the result is close, in the hope that they can claim that the ballot should be interpret led as a vote for them.

Your vote will be recorded as a spoiled vote but that's it. The reason why won't be acknowledged by anyone.

Officially, no. Unofficially, well, there's a whole thread of women right here posting descriptions and photos of spoiled ballots. As well, what HandsOff said: it's about personal integrity first and foremost. The stickers and coloured markers and hoping candidates might notice is a secondary aim.

@Tartyflette

I think we live in the same seat! I was going to vote Tory and got to the polling station and just couldn't do it. She never responded to the email that I sent her about self ID and I really don't think she cares about local issues - claims she grew up here and is interested, but lives in London.

there's a whole thread of women right here posting descriptions and photos of spoiled ballots

Such a shame MN FWR is such a backwater. Ignored. Neglected. And certainly not obsessively monitored and censored by woke politicos everywhere.

I am wondering whether to join the Tory party now to try to have a voice even though I don't like my very likely Tory MP. I dunno.

What would have had more weight was taking all the passion and pride you feel and channeling it into activism.

Oh, the irony.

After much soul searching I spoiled my ballot. I'm in a marginal narrowly held by Tory with Labour just behind. Asked myself if my vote was the difference between the Tory getting kicked out, would I still spoil it? Heavy heart but I answered yes. I can't vote for any of these people. I'm not playing this pathetic game which passes for democracy, if the person I elect then goes and gives away my and other women's rights to safety, privacy and dignity in the name of wokeness.

I wrote Protect Women's rights on it just in case anyone does read it.

What would have had more weight was taking all the passion and pride you feel and channeling it into activism.

I. Did. And. They. Didn't. Listen.

My constituency is too close to call.

Oh dear goddess, I agree with Nigel Farage. Wtaf?!

"On his own vote, he says he couldn't bring himself to support the Conservatives so he spoiled his ballot paper.

"How I voted under this system is pretty irrelevant," he adds attacking first-past-the-post."

I spoiled mine and wrote on it the reason why.
According to the exit poll, Swinson has lost her seat. Her car crash interviews refusing to acknowledge biology must have some small part to play in that. But the other opposition parties were no better.

Well TinaBarrow, if for want of your vote Labour lost it won't have made any difference to the overall UK result. And you'll be able to look yourself in the mirror.