Paper candidates

[Jeffrey Shaw]

I can understand that, but just putting a good effort in, in a parish council election will cost at least £150, a city election maybe times that by ten.

No- as far as I know, the electoral deposit is nil for Parish Councils and Local Authorities; and £500 for Parliamentary constituencies.

[Berberis]

We should just have the option for "None of the Above".

[Jeffrey Shaw]

We should just have the option for "None of the Above".

Is that better than not voting and, if it is, why?

[tzijlstra]

Is that better than not voting and, if it is, why?

 

I always found this an interesting question as well, we debated about it when I was a member of my youth-party in the Netherlands. Back then I thought it was a silly idea, but I am coming to the conclusion that it is indeed better. In my opinion it is better for people to show they don't agree with any of the candidates than it is not to show up.

[El Cid]

No- as far as I know, the electoral deposit is nil for Parish Councils and Local Authorities; and £500 for Parliamentary constituencies.

 

I was referring to the cost of leaflets, I got some proffesionally printed when I stood, cost me almost £100, and that was the cheapest double side A4 colour that we could find.

[Anna B]

I always found this an interesting question as well, we debated about it when I was a member of my youth-party in the Netherlands. Back then I thought it was a silly idea, but I am coming to the conclusion that it is indeed better. In my opinion it is better for people to show they don't agree with any of the candidates than it is not to show up.

 

Indeed it is.

 

Not voting is always interpreted as apathy, or satisfaction with the status quo, when often, nothing could be further from the truth. At the moment the only way to go is to spoil your paper if you think there isn't a single candidate worth voting for. Or you could vote for an independent candidate or smaller party. They won't win, but at least you will have voted.

 

I too would like a better way of recording dissatisfaction with a government's record, and on a more regular basis than a tick in a box once every 5 years.

[El Cid]

I too would like a better way of recording dissatisfaction with a government's record, and on a more regular basis than a tick in a box once every 5 years.

 

Do people understand that voting for neither of the main parties, knowing your man is doomed to fail, is a very big protest vote.

But it achieves nothing. In my constituency, at least 15% voted for a party knowing that they would lose and 37% did not vote at all.

 

Over 50% of the voters did not want either of the main parties, only 24% of the electorate voted for the winner.

[Anna B]

Do people understand that voting for neither of the main parties, knowing your man is doomed to fail, is a very big protest vote.

But it achieves nothing. In my constituency, at least 15% voted for a party knowing that they would lose and 37% did not vote at all.

 

Over 50% of the voters did not want either of the main parties, only 24% of the electorate voted for the winner.

 

Yes, I know. And the candidates have already been pre-selected by the party so reflect their views rather than the views of the electorate. Before Corbyn there was hardly any difference between the views/thinking of Labour and Conservative parties, so at least he's shaken things up a bit, but to be honest 'Democracy' is just an illusion.

 

It's not perfect by a long way, but personally, I think Proportional Representation is the way to go.