Then why remain silent if you aren't? If you sit around waiting for the perfect candidate things will never change. The lesser of two evils is better than just sitting back and letting the current situation run it's course.aPod said:
Do you vote?
- Thread starter KeyMaster45
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Yes because a) the Australian government chose higher participation over the personal freedom to tell said government to go fuck themselves, and b) I find myself caring about the boring squabble-fest that is Australian federal politics.
On a State level, I may as well not vote because the current WA Labor party is incompetent and while I may not like Colin Barnett's methods 100% of the time, he at least displays some aptitude for his job and is more interesting than Eric Ripper or whoever they've replaced him with.
On a State level, I may as well not vote because the current WA Labor party is incompetent and while I may not like Colin Barnett's methods 100% of the time, he at least displays some aptitude for his job and is more interesting than Eric Ripper or whoever they've replaced him with.
I do, but since I don't vote along party lines, it never amounts to anything anyway.
Not sure what's worse: The fact that people died for my right to vote and I find it meaningless, or that people died so we could locked into a system that (on its own) ensures that nothing useful will ever get done.
Not sure what's worse: The fact that people died for my right to vote and I find it meaningless, or that people died so we could locked into a system that (on its own) ensures that nothing useful will ever get done.
Out of interest, what sort of system do you support?Cowabungaa said:
Voting is mandatory in Australia, but you can choose to put in a 'donkey' (voting the way candidates appear on paper). I'm pretty sure that informal voting is also counted alongside 'donkey' votes also.
There doesn't appear to be any explicit clauses stating a person can be prosecuted for informal voting under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918.
I vote in literally everything. Referenda, general or local elections, when I was at university I was slightly involved in student politics there and voted in every election that came around. I even ran for the student executive (six students who are in charge of running the student union for a year as a full-time paid job, like a sabbatical from your course) - didn't get the job, but at least I tried, and had some pretty good ideas too. Basically, if you don't vote, you have absolutely no right to complain about the government or about whatever you voted for, unless circumstances mean you couldn't vote when you really did want to (for example, when you're too young to vote but would if you could, or if it's an issue that doesn't offer a vote - such as the UK's approach to everything the EU throws at us...).
Also, in the UK, you vote for an MP, which is arguably a much better system than voting for a party like in the USA. Over here, the MP has the duty to make sure their constituent is tretaed properly and dealt with properly. I'm a Lib Dem, but I hate what the party has become in the Coalition - I wouldn't vote for them any more if it was a party thing. But in my university city, I would absolutely vote for my local Lib Dem MP - why? Because he is a damn good MP, and actually cares about the people in his constituency. Everyone, that is, not just the people who gave him his position. And he has a great track record with student issues too, so yeah...
Also, in the UK, you vote for an MP, which is arguably a much better system than voting for a party like in the USA. Over here, the MP has the duty to make sure their constituent is tretaed properly and dealt with properly. I'm a Lib Dem, but I hate what the party has become in the Coalition - I wouldn't vote for them any more if it was a party thing. But in my university city, I would absolutely vote for my local Lib Dem MP - why? Because he is a damn good MP, and actually cares about the people in his constituency. Everyone, that is, not just the people who gave him his position. And he has a great track record with student issues too, so yeah...
You're only legally required to show up at the polling place, have your name ticked off, and stick your bit of paper in the box. What you do with that paper is your problem, so you certainly can vote blank.Cowabungaa said:
I vote because I might as well do something, and leaving it to the same idiots over and over again seem to not be doing us any good.
I live in Denmark and I vote at all elections. We have a fucked up theocratic party in parliament that feels that immigrants are worse than the Nazi occupation in WW2. Any time spent eliminating their influence is time well spent, albeit thankfully it seems they are disintegrating on whether they want lazzes faire or communism for an economic policy so there is hope yet.
I don't know how many people will read this but let me offer those of you who don't want to vote because you don't like any of the candidates a suggestion. Vote but abstain (or spoil your ballet). When the government sees that you didn't vote they see you as just being lazy or indifferent and as such they are not going to try and get you to vote for them because you're seen as lazy and an absentee voter. You never made your voice heard you gave up your say. However if you spoil your ballet you clearly put the effort into researching candidates and still went to vote but voted for no one because you didn't like any of the candidates. How legitimate would it look if lets say 100% of the nation voted in an election and the winning party got 30% of the total votes, opposition 20% and 50% spoiled or abstained. By spoiling instead not voting your showing an interest in politics and exercising your vote however none of the candidates appealed to you. That's just my opinion.
This is on the second page of the thread though...and no one reads the second page
This is on the second page of the thread though...and no one reads the second page
I vote in everything I can, not only that but I'm a member of a political party in the UK. Done campaigning for local councillors and also for the general election.
Political participation is very important in my eyes. I think one of the reasons that politicians can get away with so much shit is due to the vast majority of people not engaging in politics.
Political participation is very important in my eyes. I think one of the reasons that politicians can get away with so much shit is due to the vast majority of people not engaging in politics.
Why would I?
My choices are.
1: Lying scumbag politician
2: Lying scumbag politician
3: Lying scumbag politician
Hmm, decisions, decisions...
My choices are.
1: Lying scumbag politician
2: Lying scumbag politician
3: Lying scumbag politician
Hmm, decisions, decisions...
If they could fine people for informal votes, there would be a lot of stupid people with holes in their pockets.Still Life said:
Donkey voting usually does the opposite of what a person wants it to do, because it's still counted as a vote as it's impossible to tell a donkey vote from a legitimate coincidence so pollies will still benefit from them. The fact that people who don't know or don't care enough to vote will tend to make donkey votes means that choosing the order of candidates on a ballot can actually be a pretty contentious issue - being at or close to the top will get you more first and higher-preference votes.
If you want to protest against the system, you'd be better off drawing kittens on the ballot or something.
Doesn't hold up in the USA. You don't have to vote for one of the candidates, you can write in whoever you want. A noticeably significant number of voters in the US vote for Mickey Mouse. And if that isn't proof positive that something is terribly wrong with the USA's government, I don't know what is.aPod said:
Write in. Mickey Mouse is a popular protest vote. Or you could vote in your favorite author, or actor/actress. Anything is better than a non-politician.Daystar Clarion said:
I agree.TankCopter said:
There are far better and more productive ways of showing your distaste than putting in a half-assed vote. Still, I don't think people should be denied the choice.
Why wouldn't you vote for the party anymore? Do you really think we're going to be stuck in our current situation forever more? The Lib Dems are still the most left wing of the three main UK parties, the Greens don't even come close and if you want examples of loony-lefties and woolly liberals that's where you'll find them.Trivun said:
The party will change again, but it takes people like us being active at the grass-roots to make that change.
Well, I do vote. But I do understand the people that don't vote. Most of the time, I feel like I am less voting for the guy that will do the best job, and more voting against the guy that I think will do the worst job. It's pretty crappy, really. I'm looking forward to Presidential Election 2012 and all I think is, "Really? Is this the best they have to offer? I don't want to vote for any of these ass holes! Not one of them deserves my vote. Not one of them will do what the country needs."
All that being said, I will vote. So I invite all of my fellow Americans to come and vote for the one you hate least.
All that being said, I will vote. So I invite all of my fellow Americans to come and vote for the one you hate least.
No point in voting for anyone in the American political system, as all the options have a hidden agenda and are being paid off by corporations. That, and with the help of corporations, they are hellbent on destroying as many rights as they can legally get away with.
Also, American votes have never counted for shit, and this came to light in 2000, possibly earlier.
Also, American votes have never counted for shit, and this came to light in 2000, possibly earlier.