Why should I vote?

[Lucifer]

So the local elections will shortly be with us and it will be time for people to vote for someone to represent them and generally try and make an improvement (and believe me Sheffield Council needs improving), but who are your local councillors?

 

Well that is a good question. In my area (Ecclesfield) we have 3 councillors representing the area. I know we have 3 at the moment as I checked on Google just before I wrote this. Now are these 3 people up for election again? Well that's a good question. As it stands at the moment I have not had a single leaflet, someone knock on the door or someone just shouting at the top of their voice to vote for them.

 

This morning I had a little walk from my house and to my surprise I spotted 1 Lib Dem poster. Who is the person standing for the Lib Dems? Has the poster just been put up by a friend of a friend? In fact who is standing for election in my area because I don't have a clue and the people that I speak to are in the same situation so its not just me. We have received voting cards so something must be happening.

 

Then we have the vote on if we want an elected mayor. On tv the other day they had someone on from either the Yes or No camps who said "We could have done things a bit better but I think we will be ok". Really? Least the interview was honest. Yes you could have done things better by actually contacting people. If we have an option 'I couldn't give a toss' then I know where my vote would be going.

 

We have people standing for election who haven't told me why they want my vote. What are they going to try and do about the areas problems? This area has some housing issues that certainly need resolving. Are those standing for election going to try and get answers or get these problems resolved? Here is 1 problem they can get answers to:

 

90% of homes in this area still have to undergo the Decent Homes programme (if seen some of the 'work' carried out in some of the houses, cowboy builders have nothing on these). We have been told that the houses won't be done till 2013 or 2014. The programme is meant to finish in 2014 anyway but the big question is 'Will the work ever be carried out?'. Sheffield Homes have recently been told that after 2014 the houses are going back to the council so why should Sheffield Homes carry out the work?

 

Let's take repairs to my house. Ever heard the saying 'the house that Jack built'......well even Jack is denying all responsibility and who can blame him. I have large pieces of rendering falling off the house and in December 2011 Sheffield Homes sent Keir (who do repairs on behalf of Sheffield Homes) out to remove dangerous parts of the rendering. Has rendering been put back on? Well after 5 inspection visits you would think so, but the answer is no. According to inspectors for Sheffield Homes the area is part of a programme where all the rendering will be done.....yet when you make enquires with Sheffield Homes they don't have a clue what you are going on about.

 

These are the sort of things local councillors could sort out.....if we knew who.

 

With Sheffield Homes I have an unofficial stupidest repair of the week going on with some friends. Last week I won! I had someone out to repair the window, and he wanted to take bits off 1 window to repair what he had come out for......so in other words move the repair into another room for him to come back out to repair that. The windows need replacing anyway but this won't be done until the Decent Homes programme starts. In fact with all the 'temporary' repairs carried out and the 'temporary' repair to the temporary repairs in my house, they could have saved a hell of a lot of money by replacing it.

 

So if any local councillor in my area reads this, if you want my vote then get repairs done to peoples properties and tell people who you are, then just then you might get my vote.

 

As it stands I'm voting for no one. If those that want to be elected don't speak to the people that have that vote, then what will change if they are voted in?

 

If you don't vote, don't moan afterwards.

[tinfoilhat]

If you don't vote, don't moan afterwards.

 

I never get this argument.

 

What if I vote libdem they get in and I don't like what they do ? Can I moan then ? I helped them get in !

 

What if I vote labour and they don't get in ? Can I moan then ? I suppose that's a given but it doesn't help my lot does it ?

[Hots on]

I never get this argument.

 

What if I vote libdem they get in and I don't like what they do ? Can I moan then ? I helped them get in !

 

Yes

What if I vote labour and they don't get in ? Can I moan then ?

 

yes.

[Lucifer]

I never get this argument.

 

What if I vote libdem they get in and I don't like what they do ? Can I moan then ? I helped them get in !

 

What if I vote labour and they don't get in ? Can I moan then ? I suppose that's a given but it doesn't help my lot does it ?

 

But YOU have voted so you can argue the wheres and what fors.

[tinfoilhat]

But if I don't vote I can't moan ? Why not ? I didn't want any of them !

 

I'll vote on referendums, but until they pass a law that no vote is valid unless there is a turnout of at least 60%, I'll not waste my time voting just because society (and my mother) says I have to. I imagine come the next general election, Natasha engel will run for labour, despite the fact she hasnt, to my knowledge, shown her face in local media since getting a bit of stick over expenses, winning in 2010 and becoming chair of the backbench business committee. It might a chimp on a unicycle wearing a red rosette running for labour. Either way, labour will win.

 

Watch them try and engage voters and *gasp* do what they pledge to do in manefestos, if they need people to vote - for anyone - to get into office.

[L00b]

You should never relinquish what little power you have in the grand scheme of deciding how your are governed and by whom. However infinitesimal. And, to answer the OP/thread Q, simple as.

 

I'll be away on business in the US for the 2nd round of the French presidential elections. I've already mapped out where the nearest Consulate is to go and vote, and when (luckily, about 2 miles from the hotel).

[max]

I was unaware that we could call an election for a new mayor, I thought we had to wait for their term to expire

 

Might be worth having one if we can hoik them out of office.

 

You can't, you either have to wait for the full term to complete or persuade Parliament to pass an act enabling their removal.

[notbob]

no vote no voice

 

They want your apathy.

[tinfoilhat]

no vote no voice

 

They want your apathy.

 

No they don't, they want your vote, once every 5 years. How many libdem voters with teenagers about to go to university are thrilled with the way they used their voice 2 years ago ?

 

Now they've got to find 9k a year, not many. And in a bizarre set of circumstances they actually had power to at least keep the status quo (how many libdem voters thought that in 2010?) but no they completely flew in the face of their manefesto and their supporters.

 

Do you think that libdem voters who aren't minted, who are now facing massive tuition fees, would rather not have voted at all than help build a coalition that's costing them thousands and flatly and unequivocally broke a key election promise ?

[xenia]

Men and women all over the world have fought and died for the right to vote. Black people in the US, in South Africa, North Africans in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and are dying now in Bahrain and Syria for the right to freely express themselves.

 

I am a Conservative, true blue, but I respect and am thankful for the sacrifices of the Tolpuddle martys and the sacrifices made in years gone by by men and women, not of my political persuasion that have allowed me the fredon to voice my beliefs.

 

Of course you should vote, it is your duty, if you do not like the candidates stand yourself.