Blank Voting

[VileKyle]

Most people say it is a throw-away vote, but lately I've been voting for third party candidates. I know that whoever I vote for is assured to lose, but that's not the point to me. Voting like that at least still makes a statement, however small it is. Who knows? Maybe it will make some difference sometime after I'm already dead. It's better than not voting and making no difference at all.

[Lilitu]

I dont know about Sweden, but here in the USA, when we vote.....there is a "write in" section on the ballot.

This means you can write in any name you want to vote for. Whether it be a movie star, Miss Piggy, Aunt Jemima, or yourself.

I have voted for Miss Piggy on a couple of elections, and the last election I voted for Roseanne (famous TV actress over here).

Why do people do this? It shows the government that there are people who are not worthy of a real vote. That there is nobody worthy of the position that they are all bidding for.

I think it was when Ronald Reagan was running for second term, that the news media reported that Micky Mouse had gotten a lot of votes for President that year. Which tells you how people felt about those who were running for the office.

If you want to show your distaste for those who are running for office, write in your own vote, if you have that option.

Oh my god is that real?!

I'm so using that if it's there.

[MisterTinkles]

Most people say it is a throw-away vote, but lately I've been voting for third party candidates. I know that whoever I vote for is assured to lose, but that's not the point to me. Voting like that at least still makes a statement, however small it is. Who knows? Maybe it will make some difference sometime after I'm already dead. It's better than not voting and making no difference at all.

It isnt a throw away vote.

By voting per "write in" vote, you are giving your vote to someone other than the inept, brain dead, corporate puppets on the ballot list.

If you do not agree or like with the those who are running for office on the ballot, then use your write in vote to show them that they can NOT have YOUR vote. One more vote AGAINST them.

By not voting at all, you are letting the filthy corporate puppets win.

[dfiant1]

In Australia and New Zealand, voting at any of the 3 levels (2 levels for NZ?) is compulsary once you have turned 18. We have ballots for both houses (Upper and Lower...or Senate and Government), and only the candidates on each of the ballots can be voted for.

What you call a 'blank vote' we call 'informal vote' or 'donkey vote'. To do this you either leave the 2 forms blank or you fill it in incorrectly.

This is where is gets difficult In Australia and New Zealand. Once the ballots are counted, it comes down to preferences and the party that has the highest formal votes and preferences gets to form a government.

How do preferences work? Say there are 32 parties and none of those parties have a clear majority to form a government, preferences then sort that out as each party aligns itself with the 2 main politcal Party's (Liberal which are not LIBERAL, and Labor....which are liberal...confused?).

So what happens if you don't want to vote for one of the 2 major parties? Vote for one of the smaller parties right???? then they can 'sell' their votes to the highest bidder which in theory could be the major party that you least like.

so why vote informally? so none of the bastards get your vote and your vote cannot be sold off. YES they actually count all informal votes in Australia and in the last election we experienced the highest number of informal votes in history sending a clear message to the major parties that Australia thinks they are both cunts.

in 27 years of voting I have voted informally 3 times, we have 3 levels of government that are elected roughly every 3 years.

[Bowyn Aerrow]

If the choice is between a greater or lesser evil, voting for the lesser evil is STILL voting for evil.

As a third party moderate/centrist I am often forced to pick one evil over another or my vote gets 'wasted'. It is difficult to send a message if you have to vote one or the other and have no third viable option to vote for that sends a clear message of 'I hate both choices, they are both stupid'.

I think the most wonderful thing would happen if everyone just voted blank - it would send a clear message that neither/and/or both parties offered have anything to offer. I don't know if where you live is a two party system, if not then maybe it would send the message that none of the parties are up to the task.

The problem is that most people vote for either/or based on what their parents and grandparents voted. Few people seem to understand that Right and Left are not really the only options. Half the problem is society teaches us this left/right paradigm, the other half of the problem is that in two party systems the two parties work real hard to keep it a two party system.

What can you do? Choose the lesser of two evils, or stop voting. You are in a minority, way too few people think outside of the two party system, way too many people take the 'blank' as a viable option thus the few who do exercise it have no real impact on the political system and end up looking like fools.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pol..._in_Sweden Any of these parties more suit you? If so, perhaps start voting for 'your guy' in your new party.

[Festino]

In 2012 i voted for the first time in my life, and for the last time too. Probably in your country people votes actually matter but in my country the last 4 elections were frauds. Even if your vote did count to get a politician into office remember that you didnt elected him, he was elected by a party, not by the people, you just gave your consent to be abused.

People vote, they dont elect.

Personally im an anarchist and dont believe in goverment anymore, but i wasnt always an anarchist so i would say VOTE. Inform yourself, investigate, dabate, compare, even go to rallies and do propaganda (not ashamed to say i did back in those days) Be political! we all should be political.

If you cant find a decent candidate vote blank, that is an statement.

And remember that voting changes nothing, if you want to change society you can only do that trough working with your society, organize and fight! All goverments are stained with blood ALL, so dont expect much from those guys, be a human being, find a good fight and hold your ground because feeding the poor or investigating how your local politician steals money is more important than going to vote.

[BYoNexus]

the problem with trying to make a statement by voting blank is that unless a large portion of voters also vote blank, it is mostly ignored, and maybe be viewed as political apathy. The unfortunate truth is that in most places, voting for the lesser evil is the only choice. otherwise, your vote is wasted.

[Joshular]

I personally think that my vote should count for 49% of the votes u.u

[Ekwarph]

There's a difference between not voting and voting blank.

Voting blank is a message so it's your right, and it translates your opinion that you built by reading.

Whereas, people who don't move their ass to vote, I just want to send them on a training course in North Korea.

[partis]

I,ll probably be voting UKIP ( UK INDEPENDENCE PARTY ) though before I do that I need to find out some more. Im sick of bloody conservatives and tories and liberals, Ive never voted before.