h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Occurred to me to ask if h2g2ers are, in general, voters, on the day of our General Election.

Does it motivate you when, as it seems to be this time, the result is not a foregone conclusion? Or is it, I dunno, anger. Or just a duty?

I've voted in every election, general, local, council & European, since I was old enough to.

A century ago my great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents were not able to vote (roughly 60% of men in the UK could vote before the 1918 Representation of the Peoples Act, as well as 0% of women.)

<BB<

I always vote.

Except for the forthcoming referendum on Gay Marriage, which unfortunately happens on a day when I'm out of the country. Postal votes are only available for people who are working abroad for the state, such as diplomats, armed forces on peace-keeping missions etc. Family weddings are not considered valid grounds for getting a postal vote.

They say that if this referendum is passed, Ireland will be the first country to legalise Gay Marriage by a popular vote of the people.

The only time I didn't vote was when I was working abroad. I could have given a proxy to one of my parents, but when I realised that, it was too late, so I didn't vote.

As Bluebottle said, there's an element of respect to the previous generations who didn't get the chance to express themselves.

But it's also a sense of duty as a citizen : what do I want this country to be like?

It also makes me feel vaguely important : they're asking for my opinion on something. (ok, so maybe they won't take it into account, but still...).

Lastly, there's also the feeling that my vote, together with other people's, can actually have a weight.

A few years ago, the second round of the presidential election was between Chirac (right wing) and Le Pen (far right).
Oversimplifying things, I had a choice between :
- someone who had values I didn't share but could see the point of (capitalism and all-powerful money),
- or someone who had values I could not possibly accept (racism and xenophobia).

Chirac was elected with over 80% of the votes, as had been predicted.
But what if I had thought, "oh everyone will vote against Le Pen, I don't need to go" ?

More importantly, what if *everyone* had thought that individually ?

Every vote counts, not because a single vote out of a few millions can change everything, but because those few millions are necessary for anything to matter.


(Sorry, got carried away there ).

I often get annoyed or cynical about it, but I do feel socially obligated to vote all the same.

I also respect people who go out of their way to deliberately spoil their ballet paper – giving a statement that they want to vote, but do not agree with the choices presented.

That is completely different to not bothering to vote.

<BB<

I regard voting as a duty, Personally I would make turning up at the polling station compulsory, as <BB< says what you do to your ballot paper after that, is "Entirely a matter for you".

And yes I have been and done my duty today.

"Personally I would make turning up at the polling station compulsory"


That would defeat the entire point.

No it wouldn't. The point is to give people a voice. Compulsory attendance wouldn't remove that voice. If you choose not to vote for anyone you could still exercise that choice.

As to the original question, I'd be very surprised if people on h2g2 were *not* more likely to vote than the overall average. The age demographic of hootoo, alone, would make it pretty likely. As would the general political outlook of hootooers. We are nowhere near as diverse in terms of race, income, age or political outlook as the population at large is, I think.

"Compulsory attendance wouldn't remove that voice."

Nope, sorry, not buyin' it.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion. My opinion is that you’re demonstrably wrong.

And BTW I would also support election day being a public holiday.

I don't trust Postal or Online voting as they are too easy to tamper with, so I believe everyone who is physically able should attend their local polling station.

Those who genuinely can't attend can be allowed a postal or proxy vote but that should be a very small number.

I rarely miss a chance to vote. That does not mean that I love the choices of candidates .

"Nope, sorry, not buyin' it" surely ranks up there with "La la la I can't hear you" as one of the high points of persuasive rhetoric.

Fair enough though, if you disagree I'm not trying to change your mind.

If people didn't keep voting for the lizards we'd not worry so much about polling station etiquette.

Are you suggesting David Icke should be the next PM?

<BB<

I could name weirder MPs

Not an enormous number, admittedly

Bald Bloke : "And BTW I would also support election day being a public holiday"

In France, elections take place on Sundays, which most people have off anyway. It feels weird to me that that's not the case in other countries.
gallic

For most of the year politics is pretty dull with politicians just scoring points of of each other or just avoiding answering the question.
But on election day I feel engaged with it all and I quite enjoy going to the polling station and casting my vote.
I am working nights this week and shall be up all night watching the results come in [well after Breaking Bad anyway]
I have always voted at all General, local and European elections, I feel it is important to do so.
Although I feel events are moving faster than democracy can cope.

In Ireland voting is usually on a Thursday. The polling booths are open from 7am to 9pm, I think, so it is not usually a problem to get there if you want to.