On Fri, Dec 06, 2013 at 12:50:33AM +1300, Brian Swale wrote:
> David T <snip> F wrote
> >&>
> >&> Well, OK, a fair enough statement. However, getting your name crossed off
> >&> results in you being handed the ballot papers (whether you actually take
> >&> them or not), so your compulsory vote counts as informal if you walk out
> >&> without marking or posting the papers (watch the carry-on entailed if you
> >&> 'spoil' your paper and ask for a new one!).
> >&>
> >&> Many people that vote deliberately informal consider this as 'making a
> >&> statement', whereas in reality it is quite the opposite. :)
> >&>
> >&> davidt
<snip>
> I could take the easy way out and say the truth which is that my better half
> did the arranging
> and paying.
>
> As to voting, after the 1984 election in NZ where a Labour government was
> voted in, then
> switched policies completely from what people had voted on for a hitherto
> secret agenda
> policy designed by Roger Douglas, I did not vote for several elections; and
> later when I did I
> spoiled the papers.
>
> The only way I could vote saying in essence, " a pox on both your houses".
>
> I send the same message every election these days as well, using another
> technique.
>
> Scum-bags, the lot of them..
>
> Brian Swale
I should point out that my par regarding refused papers is the gist of
how it was explained to me by a polling booth officer (it came across as
an authoritative statement- sorry). I hope they knew what they were on
about. ;)
Party politics is not a nice business - the way I see it, candidates are
usually forced to toe the party line, no matter if they personally
disagree, or even that their electorate have made it very clear it's not
what they want.
If one lives in a very safe electorate there is nothing one can do but
vote for the other guy to show the incumbent that his party are not
doing the right thing, which is just a joke... However, if one votes
informal instead, it just increases the incumbents margin by one vote.
Even standing for parliament is mostly pointless unless you can get
party endorsement (or you were the mayor of a local council) - many
independents were disgruntled party members who were already sitting and
re-election is a minefield as the party often just stands another
endorsee :)
Basically it means the electors in only about 40 seats in Australia have
any sort of voting power for our lower house. The difference an elector
in a safe seat can make is to try to dilute the upper house with
opposition, independents & minor parties, to try and keep things
moderate.
davidt
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