In any true democracy...

[0-anthony-0]

In any true democracy the number of people who didn't vote should have an influence on the governing of the governed.

Could any Goverment that is formed be said to be representing those who didn't vote?

Are those not voting voting for no government?

[right-then-petal]

 If You Don'nt Vote You Can'nt Take Part In Anything

[0-anthony-0]

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@right-then-petal wrote:

 If You Don'nt Vote You Can'nt Take Part In Anything

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Are you sure about that?

anything pronoun  a thing of any kind; a thing, no matter which. adverb in any way; to any extent. 

[dark_castle1]

those not voting cannot be bothered getting off their arris from in front of the telly and are not really bothered who the government is !

That is the only reason they are not voting, then they are the first to complain about who gets voted in.

[evoman3957]

When voting becomes a process to elect, condone, or condemn, to not vote is to show apathy towards those things. People who are apathetic, by definition, don't care about an outcome.........and therefore take what they are given.......and have no grounds on which to base any complaints, the origins of which they originally showed apathy towards.

[0-anthony-0]

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@dark_castle1 wrote:

those not voting cannot be bothered getting off their arris from in front of the telly and are not really bothered who the government is !

That is the only reason they are not voting, then they are the first to complain about who gets voted in.

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Not true.

Until very recently I didn't vote intentionally to send a message to the electorate that I was voting for no government.

That was my vote, that was my choice in the election. Why should my choice not count?

In elections decided by a majority, the largest majority don't vote. I wonder should that not be considered also.

[right-then-petal]

If You Did'nt Want To Vote For One Party Or Another Thats Your Choice But You Should Always Vote Even If You Spoil The Slip

That Way Your Intentions Will Be Noted

[0125arwen]

When they all use the same chamber pot, many think what's the point?

[0-anthony-0]

I don't disagree and seem to remember recently some chatter about people suggesting spoilt ballot papers should carry some weight in the so called democratic process.

There are those that don't vote because they don't want to participate in electing any of the options put forward, including spoiling the ballot paper, for what are to them, valid reasons. I know because I've been there.

[bankhaunter]

There could be the option to vote for "None of the above", but if people can't be bothered to vote in the first place, I see no reason why they should be pandered to.

[0125arwen]

Because none of them are worth voting for, they All lie and do the opposite to what they say they will, the record of broken promises speak for themselves, so really..... what is the point?

[right-then-petal]

Some People I Know Use The Vote As An Excuse To Go Out For A Drink

[0125arwen]

I don't need an excuse to have a cup of tea.

[0-anthony-0]

It's interesting to realise that whilst democracy is "a form of government in which the people govern themselves or elect representatives to govern them", the implementation of this form of government is one of imposition.

This is one reason why some people don't vote. They choose not to give their authority to that which would impose upon them... .

I realise now the answer is once everybody self responsibly governs themselves, in consideration for everything and everyone else, the need for elections would be diminished.

Thanks for your responses.

[aernethril]

It's not just about choosing governments or councils.

We have the referendum coming up and it will be either in or out.

There has been no consideration given or acknowledgement made for those who may want to positively express their views that neither side has presented a case which gives the voter a clear understanding or enough information to help them decide.

I think a lot of people will not vote because they can only have In or Out amd they simply cannot decide.

Many people don't bother to vote because they are in constituencies where there is a constant majority held by one party and their vote is never seen to change anything.

It's all very well to say that people should get off their backsides to vote, but for so many it's a pointless exercise because they feel so disenfranchised and voiceless.

A couple of years ago now, I was so fed up with the local elections allowing me to choose any party as long as it was Conservative that for the first time in my life, I did spoil my balot papers.

That didn't make any difference either but at least my opinion had to be counted.

As long as we are forced into sticking with this ancient and inherently unfair method of voting and will not be open to considering other options that give more people a choice, then I don't think we have the right to criticise those who choose not to vote for whatever reason.

[upthecreekyetagain]

There may well be those amongst the large numbers of non-voters who have an intellectual reason for not voting - I suspect they are a tiny minority but therein lies the problem, nobody can tell whether that is the case or not and their 'non-vote' means absolutely nothing and as such non-voters have no right to claim any point of view on the result of an election they have failed to take part in.

[aernethril]

So you would seek to silence those who were given no choice but to vote for one party only?

Everyone is entitled to have an opinion and to voice that opinion, especially when they are denied the right to choose how to vote.

You are saying that I should have voted for a Tory because that was all there was, just so I could then have some kind of right conferred on me to voice my opinion that I didn't want to vote for them in the first place?

So, I stand up and express my views on their abysmal performance after they've been 'voted' in and how will they respond?

Well, you voted for me so what's the problem?

It's a rigged system whichever way you look at it and as long as you don't know why people don't vote, you don't have the right to decide that their rights should be removed either.

[upthecreekyetagain]

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@aernethril wrote:

So you would seek to silence those who were given no choice but to vote for one party only?

Everyone is entitled to have an opinion and to voice that opinion, especially when they are denied the right to choose how to vote.

You are saying that I should have voted for a Tory because that was all there was, just so I could then have some kind of right conferred on me to voice my opinion that I didn't want to vote for them in the first place?

So, I stand up and express my views on their abysmal performance after they've been 'voted' in and how will they respond?

Well, you voted for me so what's the problem?

It's a rigged system whichever way you look at it and as long as you don't know why people don't vote, you don't have the right to decide that their rights should be removed either.

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Apart from not having seen a ballot paper that has just a single candidate on it let's address the situation were that the case - in such a case you have 4 options

1) Vote for the single candidate

2) Vote but spoil your ballot paper

3) Put yourself forward as a candidate

4) Do nothing

To claim that the 4th option, doing nothing, is partaking in a democratic system is a cop out. 

If voting were compulsory there is a chance that the opinion of those who believe non of the candidates were worthy of their votes might be heard - under the current system not voting means absolutely nothing other than you don't want to take part in the democratic process - which is your right but don't complain when things don't turn out the way you'd like.

[al**bear]

The present Government scream about their Mandate

What Mandate ? 

63% of the People who actually voted -  Didn't vote for them

That does not even count the 34% of the Total electorate who didn't Vote at all, so didn't Vote FOR them either

So they have the actual support of approx 25% of the total electorate 

Mandate ?

[upthecreekyetagain]

On the other hand only 42% of all those entitled to vote actually voted for parties other than the Conservatives and that's the problem with not voting for anyone.