Spoil sport

2Scoops

What are people's opinions on spoiling your vote? I think it's an acceptable way to register your dissatisfaction with the available candidates and at least is preferable to not voting. However, I know some people think it's a bit insulting to democracy.

Incidentally, one of my most striking political memories involved massive voter apathy in a certain university's student union election. The quorum was not reached and the student union should have been dissolved. Alas, they simply held a 2nd election 2 weeks later and made sure to hassle enough of their assorted hangers-on to vote. Reminds me of the Nice Treaty referendum(s).

Anyway, what's the consensus on spoiling your vote?

PS: I do not intend to spoil my vote;)

Jesus Wept

I think we should start a campaign for boads users to write in 'Atari Jaquar' on their vote.

With that said, I am not registered to vote.

Múinteoir

Although I respect the sentiment of protest behind deliberately spoiling you vote, there's also the fact that a lot of people spoil their vote out of stupidity and based on not understanding how you fill out a ballot paper in a PR democracy. (People putting in x for number 1 and then putting in numbers after etc.)
Do you really want to be in the company of those people as regards how your vote is counted.

Time Magazine

It's a good way of protesting. Imagine 80% of the people spoiled their votes rather than not turned up. In the former instance, the government know the people may vote them out. In the latter, governments get complacent.

RainyDay

It's a cop out. With the breadth of political parties available in most constituencies (from SF to PD, and plenty in between, and a host of independents), there is one candidate who is reasonably close to representing your interests. It's not a perfect system, and no candidate will exactly match your value system - but either run yourself, or give the next best person your vote.

Disclaimer: Labour Party activist

The_Minister

I have to agree with RainyDay.
You don't have to agree with everything that someone says, you just have to agree with most of it, and respect them.

gilroyb

You don't even have to agree with most of it, it just should be the candidate with whom you most agree.

STV works on people establishing a preference among candidates, so everyone should really express some sort of preference in their vote between candidates. That said, I think spoiling a vote is a better protest than those who decide they're not going to vote at all. Either way though, I think you only really have a true right to complain about who gets into power if you have voted positively in the election.

Seth Brundle

Im reminded of this every time I hear of people wanting to spoil their vote...