tactical voting vs abstinence

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used to favour the latter but coming round to the former in recent times (since Dubya, Le Pen, BNP etc.) - it strikes me as more sensible now to use the vote you have in some way, as long as it is used. total ignorance/obliviousness about the issues at hand still > conscious abstinence tho. views?

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 17:05 (twenty-two years ago)

The trouble is I don't want ANY of the parties to win ANY of the seats

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 17:09 (twenty-two years ago)

total ignorance/obliviousness about the issues at hand still > conscious abstinence tho

aieee, i mean WORSE THAN not >

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 17:10 (twenty-two years ago)

It once occurred to me that the proper way to register a 'protest vote' would be to write in your own name. The advantages are fairly obvious:

- There is no danger of voting for someone really objectionable.

- You know how to spell your own name correctly, so your vote is not invalid, as are votes for Donald Duck and the like.

- Being valid, it would have to be officially counted.

This is not much, but it's far superior to not voting. In a truly objectionable election it would be easier to organize than a write-in for a particular candidate and could be equally embraced by voters of all persuasions.

― Aimless (Aimless), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)

That only works in places where write-in votes are legal, though.

― caitlin (caitlin), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 17:16 (twenty-two years ago)

The thing I just got my right to vote back after several years disenfranchisment due to poll/council tax shenanigans - only to find out I have no-one to vote for

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 17:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I always thought it was OK to be a slut and vote tactically. Have the rules changed?

― Michael White (Hereward), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 17:23 (twenty-two years ago)

OK, voting Ken for mayor - the only vote i can cast without a stain on my conscience. For everything else probably voting Liberal/Green tho not without having to hold my nose to do so.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 13:00 (twenty-two years ago)

heh you can treat it as just voting on my behalf if it eases your conscience further (tho i should be able to make it to my polling station halfway across London by 10pm in any case)

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 13:04 (twenty-two years ago)

But what if you accidentally voted yourself in?

(I feel strongly that anyone who doesn't vote is a fool)

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 13:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Absinthe?

― Spinktor, Wednesday, 9 June 2004 13:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks.

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 13:21 (twenty-two years ago)

You can always count on me to drop a low-brow thread jack comment.

― Spinktor, Wednesday, 9 June 2004 13:26 (twenty-two years ago)

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