Indeed. Note also that usually every single spoilt ballot is displayed to party agents, and that "void votes" are counted and included with official election results.
The "No Candidate Deserves My Vote!" party are standing in some areas, with basically one manifesto promise: If elected, a new election is called. Thus they are providing a Student Union style "RON" re-open nominations option. http://www.nocandidate.org.uk
That phrase or "None Of The Above" get my support as ballot-spoiling phrases (in the event that you genuinely have no preference). If spoiling a ballot, be sure to write across all boxes.
I haven't yet been presented with a ballot where I had absolutely no preference however. I think it would only happen if I was restricted to an array of candidates that I had absolutely equal levels of sceptical ignorance about - eg if the only options were Green, UKIP, Libertas, and Independent I've Never Heard Of.
Those few flyers we've got through about this election have been uniformaly based on negative campaigning. Any decision I make will more than likeley not be based on what the candidates will do for me and my locality, because they seem to think people don't give much of a toss about that, but rather an arbitrary tick next to the candidates who's names are placed next to the party symbols I historically most approve of.
Of course I have a preference, but it's in the same way that I prefer a slap in the face to a kick in the nuts. I'm inclined to vote for the current incumbents simply because they're not fucking things up too badly. If one candidate had said, "We'll give you wheelie bins" they'd have instantly got my vote.
I have a feeling that people staying home in their droves would be a bigger indication of disatisfaction with the state of affairs rather than people making a vote for the least offensive party or spoiling their ballot.
"would be a bigger indication of disatisfaction with the state of affairs"
Playing devils advocate it could be argued that people aren't bothering to vote because their lives are mostly ok. After all we all eat 3 square meals a day and have roofs over our heads.
I agree though I'm far more likely to respond to positive campaigning. However the political parties (or their spinmeisters) will probably counter that despite what people say, negative campaigning works. Its instructive now that the behaviour I'm seeing from the current national incumbents is very reminiscent of the dying days of Major's government. Attack the opposition for what you reckon they will do (or rather what you would prefer the people to fear they might do) rather than put forward your policies for how to make things better than they are.
I guess it depends on if you believe the maxim of that "oppositions don't win elections, governments lose them".
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The "No Candidate Deserves My Vote!" party are standing in some areas, with basically one manifesto promise: If elected, a new election is called. Thus they are providing a Student Union style "RON" re-open nominations option.
http://www.nocandidate.org.uk
That phrase or "None Of The Above" get my support as ballot-spoiling phrases (in the event that you genuinely have no preference). If spoiling a ballot, be sure to write across all boxes.
I haven't yet been presented with a ballot where I had absolutely no preference however. I think it would only happen if I was restricted to an array of candidates that I had absolutely equal levels of sceptical ignorance about - eg if the only options were Green, UKIP, Libertas, and Independent I've Never Heard Of.
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Of course I have a preference, but it's in the same way that I prefer a slap in the face to a kick in the nuts. I'm inclined to vote for the current incumbents simply because they're not fucking things up too badly. If one candidate had said, "We'll give you wheelie bins" they'd have instantly got my vote.
I have a feeling that people staying home in their droves would be a bigger indication of disatisfaction with the state of affairs rather than people making a vote for the least offensive party or spoiling their ballot.
Reply
Playing devils advocate it could be argued that people aren't bothering to vote because their lives are mostly ok. After all we all eat 3 square meals a day and have roofs over our heads.
I agree though I'm far more likely to respond to positive campaigning. However the political parties (or their spinmeisters) will probably counter that despite what people say, negative campaigning works. Its instructive now that the behaviour I'm seeing from the current national incumbents is very reminiscent of the dying days of Major's government. Attack the opposition for what you reckon they will do (or rather what you would prefer the people to fear they might do) rather than put forward your policies for how to make things better than they are.
I guess it depends on if you believe the maxim of that "oppositions don't win elections, governments lose them".
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lololololol
kthnxbai.
p.s. givf wheelie bin 4 real, plz.
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They have to buy my vote with something else. However lower council tax is one of those things.....
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