Spoiling ballot papers

[Bitter Ashes]

Is it worth signing up for the electoral register just to do this?

My understanding is that every spoiled ballot paper has to be recorded about what was on it. I'm not sure what the end objective would be, except maybe to show representative democracy that we're not playing thier game activly, rather than through apathy though.

I was thinking of taking a marker pen and just writing "Direct democracy!" on mine, although I'm sure the same would apply to "Dictatorship of the proletarian" or "New worker's party", or even "Anything but the BNP". I've still not registered for the electroal register so I suppose I won't really get the chance until I do. Worth the bother?

Thoughts?

[Revy]

Spoiling a ballot makes no difference at all. Whereas a vote can, even if minimally.

There are other ways to change things than voting, yes. Spoiling a ballot is not one of them, it has the same effect as doing nothing. Most likely it will be thrown and the trash and ignored, or maybe cause some amusement before that.

I find the ultra-leftist fascination with the subject annoying. That we should be telling the working class not to vote as if that is somehow more revolutionary not to vote.

[Bitter Ashes]

No offence intended, but do the SP in the USA stand in elections like they do in the UK? If so, there may possibly be a little bias involved here if you'll forgive me for saying.

Anyway, as I said, they're recorded here, so it would show whoever gets in power that there's opposition not only to them personaly bieng in that position, but the existance of the position itself.

Anyway, the fact of the matter is that I dont want to show my support for any of the candidates, but at the same time I dont want to be considered apolitical and apathetic.

[Patchd]

It's probably worth signing the register to avoid that (Maximum) £1000 fine for not doing so. :tt2:

^ And yes, the SPUSA do stand in elections, they stood in the most recent presidential elections too.


Spoiling a ballot is not one of them, it has the same effect as doing nothing. Most likely it will be thrown and the trash and ignored, or maybe cause some amusement before that.Actually, I don't know what the practice is over in the USA, but in Britain, spoilt votes are counted to get a general idea of the amount of people who actively went to vote but either spoiled their ballot out of a political statement, or filled in their ballot wrong and accidentally spoiled it. It doesn't just get chucked away, in addition, you seem to be under the illusion that voting can do anything too. I'm sure those voters who voted for the SPUSA had just all wasted their votes, in addition, when the race is contested, in reality, by the Democratic and Republican parties (only), what choice do you really have, and what room do you have to make a clear, alternative, 'democratic' action?

[Bitter Ashes]

It's probably worth signing the register to avoid that (Maximum) £1000 fine for not doing so. :tt2:
No way! That's ridiculous! :O
Worst they could do is add it to my attachment of earnings order for my council tax I suppose.

[ZeroNowhere]

Perhaps relevant is this (http://spgb.blogspot.com/2008/05/day-at-count.html).

[h0m0revolutionary]

Signing up for a spoilt ballot may take two minutes, but it's a very good idea.

There's little worse than anarchists going out and urging people not to vote. "Don't vote" they yell, nothing will change.

Well yes, but telling people to stay at home certainly nothing will change, and as attractive slogan as "don't vote, organise" is, it's just a slogan.

I think this election revolutionaries, or rather those sections of us that WILL NOT be voting Labour :confused:, should encourage people to spoil their ballots, after all they all get logged and read out and a massive turn out of actively spoilt ballots will signal discontent. But most importantly, we should expand that a little, tell people to get up, bypass that polling booth is they want to, but to get down and support their local Postie Strike/Tube Strike/Anti-School closure campaign - actually encourage people to be constructive rather than passive that day. [and every day too ;)]

[Die Neue Zeit]

Is it worth signing up for the electoral register just to do this?

I've spoiled my ballot twice now. :)


My understanding is that every spoiled ballot paper has to be recorded about what was on it. I'm not sure what the end objective would be, except maybe to show representative democracy that we're not playing thier game activly, rather than through apathy though.

Precisely.


Spoiling a ballot makes no difference at all. Whereas a vote can, even if minimally.

There are other ways to change things than voting, yes. Spoiling a ballot is not one of them, it has the same effect as doing nothing. Most likely it will be thrown and the trash and ignored, or maybe cause some amusement before that.

I find the ultra-leftist fascination with the subject annoying. That we should be telling the working class not to vote as if that is somehow more revolutionary not to vote.

Comrade, I make the distinction between spoilage and abstention: there is organizational potential for mass spoilage, but abstention is the ultra-left position.

They say that it's harder to organize a spoilage campaign than it is to organize a spoilage vote. I'd say that a revolutionary party should organize both, as part of "Organize" in "Educate, Agitate, Organize!"


I think this election revolutionaries, or rather those sections of us that WILL NOT be voting Labour , should encourage people to spoil their ballots, after all they all get logged and read out and a massive turn out of actively spoilt ballots will signal discontent.

I hope it's only a matter of time before your knowledgeable self returns to the Marxist fold. ;)

[Revy]

my mistake. I didn't know they counted the spoiled votes in the UK. In that case, you should do it.

[Die Neue Zeit]

Elections Canada counts spoiled votes, but doesn't distinguish between accidental spoilage and purposeful spoilage.