Voting

[di]

We don't seem to have recieved any polling cards?????!!

We didn't get any either...nor did my friend across the road...pootled in after dropping the kiddies off and my name was on 'the list'.They said to get in touch with the county council.

[ginger ninger]

I did mine by post **PB polishes her halo in a smug manner**

Me too. **Ginger snatches halo off P.B and plays hula hoop with it** .

[zazen999]

Think you hit the nail on the head there TS. I don't understand the issues, I also don't seem to have the time to sit down and go through it all to work out which way I'd go. I tend to finally sit down for good about 9PM, and goto bed shortly after.. I *NEED* to retire. Or win the lotto?

I'm not going to tell you off but [seriously] the more people that don't understand the issues, the more the 'fatcats' and 'bigwigs' AKA politicians get away with. They use the big words in order that the 'little people' don't understand and as these issues directly affect things that the 'little people' want and need, it is up to them to try and see through the carp.

On AV/FPTP -

FPTP, a person can win a vote even if more than 50% of the population DOESN'T want them in power so people end up voting for parties they don't want just to keep those they REALLY don't want out of power.......

with AV, the candidate with the lowest votes is knocked out, and the second choices of THOSE candidate's voters are put on the pile of the people that are left. It carries on until someone gets 50% of the vote.

It really is THAT simple.

[Hilary B]

Zaz, I'm 100% with you on the issue. AV (sometimes known as Single Transferable Vote) seems to me a much better system for actually finding out what people really think and really want than any of the alternatives. PR with 'party lists' only makes every vote a party vote, which increases the power of big parties at the expense of anyone else. FPTP leads to 'tactical' voting, and the big parties tel everyone that voting for anyone but them is a 'wasted vote'. AV does away with these 2 problems.
I just wish my friend who died last year had lived long enough to see the referendum actually take place. He felt even more strongly about it than I do!

[chris]

I get how it works (just read about it on the BBC site).. however what I don't get is the underlying party issues, why x hates y, and why z hates x and y, and so forth. I didn't even know there were more than 3 parties until just now... and wasn't aware even what 'AV' stood for until just now either. shocking really, but true

[Hilary B]

I get how it works (just read about it on the BBC site).. however what I don't get is the underlying party issues, why x hates y, and why z hates x and y, and so forth. I didn't even know there were more than 3 parties until just now... and wasn't aware even what 'AV' stood for until just now either. shocking really, but true

AV just might lead to more than 3 parties that people have heard of!
A lot of the people who don't vote, it's because they don't reckon it will ever make a difference. If we get AV, the chance of it making a difference will be marginally increased!

[fiferjim]

On the day our last WWI veteren passed I can think of nothing more fitting as a tribute to him and those like him than going out to vote.

As for AV I don't like the system they are offering our Scottish Parliament has top up lists so everybodys second vote is counted and i think this is fairer imho.

[Two_Sheds]

with AV, the candidate with the lowest votes is knocked out

Just like on Britain's Got Talent, or whatever that show is called

[Two_Sheds]

My paper had an interesting clipping the other day: how the last six general elections would've turned out if we'd had the AV system.

In a nutshell, Labour & Lib Dem would have benefited, and the Conservatives lost out big time.

And Gordon Brown still wouldn't be Prime Minister now, because the Lib Dems would only have joined Labour if GB resigned

[bubblewrap]

You don't need one all you need to be is registered!

[bubblewrap]

Will do Bubblewrap - thanks for the reminder.

It may be impotent but it is also important!

Sorry about the typo

[bubblewrap]

I'm a bit of a hypocirt here - haven't voted ever. Mainly becauase I find politics boring, but then I'll have a scoff when a change affects me.

So if after the next election the Tories get in again & put up income tax to 60%
Would you find that boring?

If you don't vote you have no right to complain.

[bubblewrap]

Just one more point I have voted in every single election whether national,local or Euro since 1970 barring one(I was in hospital in 1994).
And have always voted the same way.

[Incy]

Just to reassure you BW, I have been and put a cross in the appropriate boxes

[bubblewrap]

Just to reassure you BW, I have been and put a cross in the appropriate boxes

While I would like people to vote the same way as myself.
The most important thing to do is go out and do it.

I was at the polling station as it was opening this morning.