Not voting- 1 of many reasons

MOnika (your links aren't working - they did sound biased anyway). You seem to think we actually have democracy in this country (?! Lol!)- We have not since 2016 when the majority vote was ignored. If 17.4 million votes are not important what makes you so sure YOUR one vote really means anything? Are you special? My point being spoiling your ballot paper IS the sea change we need - anything else just legitimizes the greedy, useless slugs. Keep on spoiling ballot papers each, and every election until they can no longer deny the country does not support the corrupted institution. It won't affect anything by voting for the current chumps. More of the same from all parties. I'm more worried about the referendum vote winners, not the establishment pawns who lost, and still don't know they are useful idiots for the rich hedgefunders and EU quangos. I wonder if perhaps some posters here are political influencers... It's hard to believe people of our age can be fooled into voting for these self-serving political companies again and again. I was truly heartened to read that a youngster refuses to be fooled into voting for them- though I would urge ALL to spoil their papers rather than play into the silly game, and write "NONE OF THE ABOVE" proudly. The men and women who fought for our vote would be awfully angry that it means absolutely nothing today. They also fought for the rights of those 17.4 million people whose vote has been ignored. What would Panklhurst et al say about that? I do not want Tory, Labour, Libdem, SNP, Brexit or any of the controllled oposition S*#@ts... They are in the business of gravy trains, allowances and expenses. They collude by abstaining (such as the housing act that would have helped millions of private renters) from voting and backroom sweetheart deals. I repeat: Spoiling your ballot paper would be the only way to show respect to our heroes who fought for a VALID vote, not sham of democracy - to go along with the farce of choosing between sick and vomit maybe it is the option for those doing well out of the current system. I do have the right to moan whether I vote/spoil ballot paper/do not vote/cannot vote - as there clearly is no real democracy when any vote is ignored - all voting is ignored. The level of dissociation needed to put your trust in the very people who are in the business of taking your vote away astounds me... Or maybe, like I said, these main party voting urgers are simply just influencers...

Was having this conversation with son who is thinking of not voting. You have to do something, people fought for our right to do this. I am struggling about how I get my voice heard in this election. But doing nothing is not an option.

If in doubt, write 'none of the above' on your ballot paper.

How very odd. I will type it, not cut and paste
researchbriefings.parliamen.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-7529

Something went wrong with the link
› CBP-7529 › CBP-7529

ananimous we are not talking about people with no right to vote. We are talking about people with the right to vote but who choose not to use it. A very different thing.

You also completely wrong when I think you say that voters just vote for the same party all the time. Your post is not always entirely clear as to what you mean. I suggest you follow this link:
› CBP-7529 › CBP-7529 which shows how the number of people voting for each party has fluctuated at each election, showing that millions of the electorate are more than willing to shift voting allegiances from one election to the next.

Looking at polls for the coming election shows that there are still many 'Don't knows', plus many who have decided to vote for a party they have never voted for before.

After dismissing out of hand the electorate, parties and politicians, would you like to tell us what you would put in their place? anarchy, a dictatorship (what type of dictatorship?), an absolute monarchy. The choices are many. What would you suggest?

How arrogant to believe that we are less informed on the voting process because of our views.

Voting for the same parties that have made a mess of this country over the past 40+ years is just blind leading the blind. Plenty of people live in this country with no rights to vote through no fault of their own... Are they any less entitled to moan when the bad times continue? What a silly comment about don't moan if you don't vote! Some people like to think they are better informed when they clearly only have echo chamber mentality, or maybe a vested interest in certain political parties. The UK politicians the length and breadth of the land are at best hapless idiots, and at worst corrupted thoroughly by their agenda, priviledge and greed. I refuse to be browbeaten into legitimizing them by people less well informed about the voting process.

Please see attached

What do people on here mean when they say 'vote against' a candidate? Does that mean tactical voting?

I've only the choice of the three main parties plus the SNP, who definitely do not have any more integrity than any other party.

I'll go to the polling station but what I'll do with the ballot paper & pencil, I haven't a clue. Give them to my little granddaughter to scribble on?

Just had a close encounter with our local (Conservative) MP ...all smiles and laughing ...ah, good morning, May I count on your support at the election ? ….NO you may not, and neither am I sure I will vote !! MY LIFE for the past 21 years has been living in Europe (Spain and then France) I married there, my life has been there BUT with BREXIT the UK government IGNORED British citizens living in the EU but have guaranteed the rights of EU citizens living in Europe, which put the future of Brits living in Europe in some doubt. Some countries are making it difficult for British nationals by not guaranteeing their rights will be adhered to, demanding a certain level of income, etc etc I know it was (before you all shout it out !) my choice to live out of the UK BUT both myself and my late husband had a vote in the UK and paid taxes into the UK as well as the other countries (double taxation agreement)…….and so now we have to return, with, in some cases, nowhere to live and become a further burden on the NHS, but at least Brits returning will be legible for the Winter Fuel Allowance (ha ha) which has now been denied those living in hot' countries for the past few years (well, it was only minus 10 in France in winter !)…..he smiled and clearly had no idea what to say ! I await the next encounter with a different party ! don't expect an answer ….what politician has ever given a straight answer !

Isn't it sad that perfectly reasonable, caring and intelligent people are facing this dilemma? Wanting to vote, yet truly stumped by the choices.

As others have mentioned, both men and women suffered in order to give us the right to vote, and here we are all these years later, being placed in a dilemma by the power of influences at work within the parties, and international interference in the election process.

I also feel angry about the interference by some religious bodies criticising one candidate and by inference promoting another who, it is claimed, is also a personal friend.

I agree with notanan.
Being given the right to vote means we can also choose not to, the same as any pro choice issue.

And what if everyone took that stance? I'm on the side of those who have referenced what the suffragettes went through to get us the vote. I don't understand how anyone wouldn't respect that. As someone else said, go and spoil your ballot paper. I think they all have to be counted and looked at.

By voting for someone I feel I have the right to complain if they either do not get into power or do not fulfill their promises.

Everyone has the right to hold their MP and the gov accountable. You dont need to have voted for them or anyone else

Being FORCED to vote isnt liberty
Having the choice to is.

Interesting that someone would go to prison for being made to vote, after the hard fight over the years to give the working man and women the vote. Good job not everyone thinks like that.

I am in a similar position to a number of people who have been brought up to honour the Vote, due to the death and imprisonment of the women who fought to get this right for us. Mindful also, that there are still women in some parts of the world who still do not have this right. However, I am also stuck for which candidate to Vote for. A labour voter and once a Trade Unionist, I simply don't feel that I can vote for labour this time. It goes against the grain to vote Tory, and the Greens have some policies I simply don't agree with, despite being an ardent conservationist. There are no independent candidates in my area - so maybe the Monster Raving Loony Party (Yes, there is a candidate here) is my only alternative!

Just had a conversation with my sister who is adamant she is not voting because she hates the leaders. I suggested she looked at the manifesto’s write down what she liked about them and then vote for the party with the biggest list. A party is not the leader. There are excellent MP’s in all parties. Policy is what should matter (I agree not all policies are implemented.)

If voting became compulsory I would immediately stop voting and if necessary go to prison for it.

I think we are all fed up with the lies that politicians of all parties continually tell and that fact that none of them seem to be interested in serving their country, which surely is their job.

I personally am often hard put to it to know which party to vote for, but not voting doesn't seem to be an option to me.

By voting for someone I feel I have the right to complain if they either do not get into power or do not fulfill their promises.

Admittedly, a slightly negative reason for voting.

Has anyone any bright ideas as to how we can get politicians to realise that we are sick, tired and fed up with their dishonourable behaviour?

I too agree that voting should be compulsory. I believe it is in Australia.
Voting Labour is not just voting for Mr. Corbyn but the Labour Party as a whole.
My Grandfather was a friend of Kier Hardy one of the founders of the Labour Party. My father helped to form the clerical Branch of NASOPA. The printing Union.
My son has personally met Jeremy Corbyn and says he is a most sincere person. He is definitely not anti Semitic.

I would always vote and would look at the values of the party rather than the leader.

We have seen under this dreadful government the raise in the number of homeless people, living and dying on the street. Food banks haven become the norm, long, long, waiting lists on the NHS, cutbacks on hip, knee and cataract operations. The poorest paying at least 10% tax with the bedroom tax. Cuts to services that means they either cease to exist or rely on the voluntary sector. Would you give a job to someone who presented this on their CV?

I am a Labour voter but unfortunately I will have to vote Lib Dem as they have more chance in my area of getting rid of the dreadful MP we have.

Not to vote or just spoil your ballot paper is imo not fighting to change and gives you no right to complain. To say there is no one you would vote for is nonsense.

For the first time in my life I shall not be voting.
I live in France and I voted to remain, as to leave Europe would place me at a massive disadvantage. Therefore I would not vote Conservative. I recently read the biography of Corbyn by Tom Bower and discovered that Corbyn, a Trotskyist to the core, is far worse than I ever imagined. I gave up voting for the Lib Dems years ago when they swallowed the Green alarmist myth despite every scare the Greens have warned about over the last 30+ years proving to be a damp squib.

So for me it's as if I had the choice of voting Fascist or Communist; I have no time for either yet my friends insist I should vote. I ask them which of these two would THEY vote for and I have had no logical response. So let these fools tear our country apart, I shall not be voting for them.