Don't forget to vote!

[Drunken Monkey]

the point, as understood by many, is that if you have the ability to change things or make a stance,

 

in this case have a certain degree of say by a vote

 

AND

 

you don't go and vote, then i say you have no right to complain when things aren't to your liking.

 

if you want to abstain then go anyway and mark down more than one candidate.

 

at least that is what happens here in the uk.

 

you have the option to mark down more than one candidate.

 

in that case, the vote is counted in the numbers but is recognised as a (can't remember the actual term) 'non'-vote.

[DLopez]

Vote "None of the above"!

 

What movie was that from... "Brewster's Millions"?

 

Funny!

[Drunken Monkey]

...but that's the point.

 

i think it would send quite a clear message if let's say 50% of the votes balloted/counted were actually for 'none of the above' as it were.

 

i mean, for a start, it would give a better idea of who prefers which candidate and how many people actually don't like either of them.

 

you say you freak out when you hear someone say 'no vote, no complaint'.

 

fair enough.

 

i freak out when people have the power to vote and don't exercise that power.

 

granted i don't know if you can actually make a non-vote over there or if you can, is it counted

 

but here it does and is.

 

it makes a difference.

 

this is probably the only time i would advocate being a statistic.

[47MartialMan]

But here and there IS the difference. Non-voters are demonstraing their complaint in the system by non-voting. This IS what you cannot realize. They are complaining anyway.

 

It is anyone's right to complain-period.

[Drunken Monkey]

but then you're not counted for.

 

sure, you'd be exercising your right not to vote and in a way demonstrating your complaint

 

but

 

i don't think that actually does/mean anything to them.

 

they (the parties involved) don't care that you don't vote

 

because that simply means his opposition doesn't get a vote either.

 

what they do care about, is that if you do go and vote, it is for them.

 

like i said before, i'm not sure if you guys have this,

 

but here if you mark down more than one choice,

 

your vote is taken down as a no vote (void).

 

at the end of the day when the results come up it'll be:

 

X% Mr A, X% Mr B, X% Mr C, X% no vote.

 

that 'no vote' count does mean something and would,

 

if everyone who 'complains' goes and does this,

 

speak a much louder message than simply not going to vote.

 

it has been said;

 

to change the institution you have to be part of the institution.

[battousai16]

one of the older folks would probably be better suited to answer this, but i don't think we can do that. here if more than one candidate is marked off, i think it just dosen't count it. i didn't see a "no vote", and can't say i've ever heard of one; i'd like to think i didn't walk about so ignorant as to just not notice it.

 

that said, i'm a firm believer in the "if you didn't vote, don't complain" philosophy... if you have the ability, yes, i figure people just assumed that last part. i mean, sure, the non-voters can complain, but they should probably be complaining about not voting as adversed to the candidate in question. but i voted, so i can complain all i want

[Drunken Monkey]

um, that's kinda it.

 

it isn't a 'no vote' option,

 

(i think that would be quite good but i'm not sure if the politicians would actually like presenting that option to people.....)

 

if you mark more than one choice,

 

it is technically void.

 

but in the grand scheme of things,

 

your vote is still counted a being cast.

 

it is counted and is in the system.

 

not many people do it and that's the problem.

 

if all those that say they don't believe in any of the parties go and make a void vote then when it's all counted,

 

the politicians and media people have to ask why 30% (or whatever it is...) of cast votes were not countable.

 

that is a question that needs to be asked.

 

don't use your vote and they will never have to face that question.

[47MartialMan]

anyone can complain anytime they want to

[Drunken Monkey]

did you vote?

[47MartialMan]

it has been said;

 

to change the institution you have to be part of the institution.

 

The institution is not going to change rather one is a part or not.

 

There are underlying principals that won't allow change.

 

Voting is a waste of time on the national level.

 

A "no vote" count would stir up some issues and bring recognition.

 

Voters or non-voters-everyone has the right to complain. One is not limited to complainig of that of a voter. Per the foreigner or under-aged-they can complain without being a voter.

 

In the case of a voter, they exercise their conception that there voice will be heard-which it does not always happen. The presidency was already planned before the voters got to vote.

 

Non voters can complain that there wasn't a choice, from either candidate to which issues had suited them (non-voter). So, therfore, if there is no choice, there is no vote. So thus a non-voter can complain.

 

Complaints are not limited to voters.