Have you spoilt your ballot? A thread to indicate numbers

[Chrysanthemum5]

Hi all
I've just posted my vote. I live in a constituency where the incumbent has a big majority, and will win again. He is the only one people have posters up for, the only one really sending out leaflets etc everyone else has given up. He is Labour, and full on TWAW, insists there is no conflict with women's rights and refused to talk to me about this issue. The other candidates are the usual mix of Tory and Greens with a sprinkling of independents and Reform.

Politically speaking I am Labour, and always have been. But their attitude towards the rights of women is shocking. To be fair I grew up in a family heavily involved in unions so I always knew the unions were misogynistic but Labour seemed ok. Not any more.

If you have spoilt your ballot it would be interesting to know so that we can see (and maybe politicians can see) what women are thinking

Vote for all of them. Then you won't get told off for spoiling 😉

I know @Chrysanthemum5 started the thread to gauge what other people were doing, rather than encourage spoiling, but it's interesting to consider what would happen if there was an organised campaign to have mass spoiling. This is from a while ago, and from the undoubtedly less important PCC elections, but it demonstrates that when something out of the ordinary happens, such as a massive increase in spoiled ballots, people start to take notice

www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/nov/19/spoilt-ballots-pcc-elections-analysis

bUT noBoDy CarEs.

Obviously. Brought to you from the people who also declared "Never comes up on the doorstep"

I'm with @Chrysanthemum5 , I think.

I've always voted. People died for my right to vote. I will not dishonour them by not turning up. In my youth, a million years ago, I campaigned for the liberals. Can't support them now.

However, this time around, I've emailed the candidates with specific questions, more than once, and been ignored by them.

What to do?

Spoil seems to be my only option. I'm still not sure.

I emailed my candidates and the only one with satisfactory answers to my questions was the bloody Tory! The indie has ignored me, who was my last hope. It's just rude to ignore really, but maybe he thinks I'm a bigot, and can't bring himself to respond politely! 🤣

So Tory or spoil. Shit choice, isn't it? Spoil it is!

Well I'm sure the evening shift eXpErT ploppers will be driving by to tell us what to do after their sausage chips and beans.
Probably currently crafting a lengthy post in between the H.P sauce smears and a tinny in their Ma's spare room.

I think you would dishonour them by spoiling your vote. What good would it do, they will just be thrown away. I always think of the women who died and women who still don't have a vote. It would be an insult to them to spoil your vote.

People campaigned for the right to vote, not the obligation to vote for a party that doesn't respect them

And Lo!

Is it me or are other FWR members getting the vibe that a certain Party is nervous of vote spoiling?

I think I'd dishonour the women who fought for my vote by voting for a party who won't clearly state that they support women's rights.

The Scottish Nasty Party will win in my constituency so I voted Conservative to reduce their share of the vote. My family voted Reform for same reason. I hate the Tories but if a party doesn't know the difference between a man and a woman, or demonstrates a callous disregard for women (SNP, Greens, Libdem & Labour), I cannot vote for them. I did include a Respect my Sex note in the postal vote though. Not sure anyone will see it but it made me feel better.

Just read a headline saying Labour will allow 'trans women with penises' into female toilets (said by shadow education secretary)

Careful who you vote for!

Sounds like my town!

Ed to say I will not be voting Reform, but local FB pages tell a lot of people are planning to.

I am still wavering between labour and spoiling. It depends on what happens between now and then.

Definitely. Ironically it's pushing me to actually vote Tory. (Very much a sex realist candidate in our constituency) It's that or spoil. OH has decided not to vote at all. So that's 2 less Labour votes than last time because of their contemptuous treatment of Women.
Personally I have a feeling the suffragettes would be shoulder to shoulder with us on this.

Yes

I'm not keen on any of the parties but am actually voting for my Conservative MP, who's been a decent constituency MP and doesn't think trans women are women. Yes, I asked him.

My mum's arrived this afternoon! Shocking isn't it?

Yes, I shall be doing this.

No, but I did think about it...

I was certain what party I was going to vote for - but then we had a 'boundary change' and were lumped in with a small town 10 miles away (ok, annoying but can deal with that) and THEN found out the candidate for 'my' party lives on the other side of the country. WTAF!!

I’ve got the Party of Women standing in my area (marginal seat). I’ve never not voted Labour, and the Labour candidate is a decent and moral person on most issues but has remained disappointingly silent on this issue. I can’t vote for a person or party that isn’t crystal clear on protecting sex-based rights and safeguarding children.

That rules out Lib Dem and the barmy army Greens. Hell will freeze over before I vote Tory or Reform. There is a guy from ‘Rejoin the EU’ I could vote for, but I think it’ll be Party of Women this time on principle.

Otherwise, I’d likely be spoiling my vote for the first time in my life.

I have seven candidates to choose from. Either fresh from university, (so very probably TWAW) or older candidates who've proved useless at councillor level already.

Toying between the very young looking tory or spoiling. Always been a Labour supporter but they've really fucked me off.

ResisterRex

Than what?
**
A country where children in distress are immediately affirmed rather than the reasons for their distress explored?
**
A country where parents of children in distress are criminalised for seeking to understand the reasons why their child is having trouble?
**
A country where gay minors are set on irreversible pathways? Who grow up without mature, functioning sex organs, unable to ever orgasm and have a sex life?
**
A country where men say they're women and are counted as women in the rape and sexual assault statistics?
**
A country where men's desires to be placed in female prisons is elevated over and above the needs of women?
**
A country where children are told you can be born in the wrong body?
**
Enlighten us.“

No need for the snotty ending. You sort of prove my argument: have not all of those things come about during the past 14 years of Conservative government?

The reason why pensioners are acknowledged by political parties is because they always vote.
the reason why homeless people and prisoners are ignored is because they don't vote.
if women don't vote their needs will be ignored

if women don't vote their needs will be ignored“

They’ll be ignored if they spoil their ballots, too.

Okay, I like the idea of a joined up campaign.
how about the female symbol, with an ‘x’
in red?
it may be more likely to be reported on if it’s clearly a theme.

2 spoiled postal votes on their way . One with None written across it and the other with None of these reflect my views and if you want my ex respect my sex. If POW had a candidate I would have voted for them. I will not vote for the party that have totally fucked up. I will not vote for someone who thinks it is fine to put men in women’s prisons and who will not reply to my emails.
It has been suggested in some of the media that many women will be spoiling, so there may be more scrutiny on numbers this time round.
where I live there may be as many as 26 or more different parties putting up a list. Plus one blank sheet to indicate none. And usually at least two feminist parties. And there is a bigger turnout than in the uk usually.