Vote!

Mirandola

There are lots of different political views on this site and things can get heated. (I am convinced that if Arkady and Kreuzkav had met in a pub rather than online they'd have become friends, but that's by the by). Whichever side you are on though, please please please vote today. Polls are open until 10pm, you don't need a polling card or any form of ID and you can bask in happy civic aura.<div><br></div><div>Please vote even if you don't think any of the parties speak for you. The chances are that they're ignoring you because they don't think you'll vote. Vote for the least worst option, for the party that comes closest even if it doesn't come close and that will do something to make all the other parties think that they need to listen to people like you more and do more for you. </div><div><br></div><div>Or, put another way, old people vote and they get free bus passes. Young people don't vote and they get tuition fees.</div>

miss annie

Both of those things were introduced by Labour governments.

Papa

Well said Mirandola. I tried not voting once as a protest. It didn't work. They just reflected on the low turnout that year and suggested they'd introduce text message voting.<div><br></div><div>I'm not sure that our own laziness was the point myself and millions of others who didn't vote that year were trying to get across</div>

minim

<span style="font-style: normal;">Do spoiled ballots get counted? If so, that's a final option for people who really can't find anyone to vote for/disagree with the current electoral system to make a point. </span><div><span style="font-style: normal;">I wish I were allowed to vote today.</span></div>

Arkady

I agree with most everything Mirandola said. I have two days off. I stayed up late having an X-Files marathon to reset my body clock for tonight's epic all-nighter. Got up at midday, voted in the glorious sunshine, and I'm now waiting for a croque monsieur in the Front Room Cafe before volunteering as a teller this afternoon. Then the drinking games begin. I couldn't be happier.

NorthNineteen

Tomorrow is booked off, looking forward to tonight.<br>

Sutent

Am off to Berlin tonight. Looking forward to watching the elections from there tonight. Thanks goodness for BBC radio online

Perflexed

<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">@Minim<;/p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Yes spoilt ballots are counted, and a relevant part of the electoral process. At the very least it means we got off our behinds and got involved.  Apathy is one thing, but active rejection quite another. I have empathy for Mirandols’s ‘least bad’ argument but also for ’None of the above’’. Should that be you preference.</p>

NorthNineteen

Why is your text always so small?<br>

minim

Thanks @perflexed. Voting is mandatory where I'm from, and all electronic nowadays, leaving no option for a spoilt ballot, whereas I strongly feel the option should be available to people. As I'm now voting from abroad I get sent a paper ballot (which is the size of a small sofa as there are so many options) so at least get that choice, even though I'd never do so.<div><br></div><div>I'm kind of tempted to stay up tonight, but knowing myself will just fall asleep on the sofa before the results start properly coming in.</div>

Perflexed

<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">I blame OS Yosemite V10.10 But who knows?</p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">I’m always inadvertently activating some unnecessary & unwanted function or short cut </p><div><br></div>

Perflexed

<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Obviously intended for @NorthNineteen<;/p>