Constructive anti-election protest

iniref | 26.03.2010 17:19

Update of our appeal for a "none of the above" ballot combined with a protest and demand for genuine citizen-led democracy. Clarification of electoral regulations for "spoilt ballots" available on request.

THE CONSTRUCTIVE PROTEST VOTE
If there are no suitable candidates standing in your constituency then use your vote to protest! Write on your ballot slip, REFERENDUM ON DEMAND! and DIRECT DEMOCRACY NOW! (More slogans below) Drop your ballot slip into the BOX. If enough people do this word will get around, other people will join in and perhaps some politicians will be persuaded to change their ways ;-). Future candidates will be more likely to support direct democracy reforms.

You can help to spread awareness of the need for more democracy and strengthen the Campaign and movement!

Ask your friends to join in! Use internet, mobiles etc., facebook, twitter and co. to spread this plan-of-action!

IDEAS
# Choose a symbol to wear or carry on Polling Day. See some suggestions here

http://www.iniref.org/ (scroll down).

# Take a picture of your ballot paper after you have "improved" it with your protest. Maybe decorate the voting booth with a symbol of democracy or in some other creative way and photograph the result. Send the pictures to us and to your friends and contacts!

SLOGANS COULD BE:

CITIZENS' REFERENDUM!

CITIZENS' INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM

CITIZEN LAW-MAKING

INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM AND RECALL

WWW.INIREF.ORG

REFERENDUM ON DEMAND

DIRECT DEMOCRACY NOW

iniref
e-mail: info@iniref.org
Homepage: http://www.iniref.org/

Comments

Hide the following 12 comments

smudged ink?

26.03.2010 17:52

Is any one going to count all these different comments and bother to understand them, or will they just be counted as spoiled papers, like smudged ink?

Any way I'll not be voting 'cus I'm on the run for council tax evasion crime.

refusenik

Not so smudgy!

26.03.2010 18:16

There are ways to make our protest known.

Voting for *no* candidate NONE OF THESE and writing a reform demand such as CITIZENS' REFERENDUM will lead to your ballot being counted and the numbers published.

Also, invalid ballot papers (dubbed "spoilt") must be shown to the CANDIDATES and their AGENTS. Opposition parties may wish to share this information with the press.

A boom of invalid ballots is something which interests the mass media, there were reports about this from the 2005 general election. So trends in numbers, slogans and demands written on ballot papers will get publicity if enough people join the protest vote.

iniref
mail e-mail: info@iniref.org
Homepage: http://www.iniref.org/

And then what?

26.03.2010 19:22

"Also, invalid ballot papers (dubbed "spoilt") must be shown to the CANDIDATES and their AGENTS. Opposition parties may wish to share this information with the press.

A boom of invalid ballots is something which interests the mass media, there were reports about this from the 2005 general election. So trends in numbers, slogans and demands written on ballot papers will get publicity if enough people join the protest vote. "

And what do you think the impact of this will be on those candidates that will win their seats no matter how many spoilt balot papers show up? How will it effect the Labour, Con and Lib Dem votes.

Tell us all about the demographics of your idea!

Smudger

obviously pointless

26.03.2010 20:00

sending secret messages to politicians who are never going to agree to the thing your asking for is obviously pointless.

I have an alternative suggestion for how to respond to the election.

Why not put together a leaflet about issues relevant to the people who live near you, explaining why capitalist politics will never offer anything to address these things. If you have the spare time you could even research the candidates in 'your constituency' and what's particularly wrong with them.

You could use the opportunity to highlight existing or possible campaigns that could go on in the area.

Alternatively you could just ignore the whole thing.

If you want to 'send a message' to anyone during election time, surely the message should be to other ordinary people who we want to share the future with, not those who perpetuate the current system.

pete

Not so smudgy!

26.03.2010 21:12

And then what?

26.03.2010 19:22
"Also, invalid ballot papers (dubbed "spoilt") must be shown to the CANDIDATES and their AGENTS. Opposition parties may wish to share this information with the press.

A boom of invalid ballots is something which interests the mass media, there were reports about this from the 2005 general election. So trends in numbers, slogans and demands written on ballot papers will get publicity if enough people join the protest vote. "

And what do you think the impact of this will be on those candidates that will win their seats no matter how many spoilt balot papers show up? How will it effect the Labour, Con and Lib Dem votes.

Tell us all about the demographics of your idea!

Smudger
-------------------------------
In recent surveys more than half say they may not turn out to vote (see also low 2005 election turnout). We appeal to these many potential abstainers to join the movement for democracy in UK and countries, see

http://www.iniref.org/ Effects on the major parties? Probably little in the short term, because the people whom we address would not have voted otherwise.

iniref
mail e-mail: info@iniref.org
Homepage: http://www.iniref.org/

fuck elections

27.03.2010 01:49

if voting could change anything, it would be illegal- oldest truth in the world ;) At least if only 20-30 % of ppl will vote, ruling scum cant even pretend they rule in our name.

anarchist

another option this year

27.03.2010 09:35

is to give your vote away to someone in afghanistan, bangladesh, or ghana. i will probably do this, as i hope will many others.

here's the link for more information :

http://www.giveyourvote.org/

remember you do actually maintain control, nobody will know if you change your mind at the last minute and disobey the wishes of the person you "gave" your vote to. this is not something i recommend but is true nonetheless.

i plan to follow their wishes no matter what i feel on the day.

giving my vote away

Campaign tactic/reply to Pete

27.03.2010 10:09

Pete wrote:
26.03.2010 20:00
sending secret messages to politicians who are never going to agree to the thing your asking for is obviously pointless. ...
If you want to 'send a message' to anyone during election time, surely the message should be to other ordinary people who we want to share the future with, not those who perpetuate the current system.
--------------------
I&R ~ GB:
The constructive protest vote has been used in campaigns across the world. Word gets around, not just to politicians and their agents but also to the mass media and therefore to "other ordinary people". This is obviously only one of many campaigning methods. See detail at our website:

I&R ~ GB Citizens' Initiative and Referendum
Campaign for direct democracy in Britain

http://www.iniref.org/

http://www.iniref.org/index.enter.html

iniref
mail e-mail: info@iniref.org
Homepage: http://www.iniref.org/index.enter.html

constructive protest?

27.03.2010 10:51

constructive protest? some may suggest dropping a match in your ballot box

vote with action

Constructive

27.03.2010 13:30

Something constructive would be trying to get everyone in your town who isn't voting, outside your local town hall on election day...irrespective of their politics..... ;)

Pet Monkey

real alternative

27.03.2010 20:59

The most effective way to protest against the undemocratic system, capitalism and the corruption of the big 3 parties is to vote GREEN!!

The Green Party will have candidates in more than half of UK constituencies, more than ever before, giving many more people a real alternative.

Greens may not be perfect but they're a hell of a lot better than the big 3. They have by far the best policies for a fair, equal, just society as well as being sustainable.

Greens will very likely get MP's in the general election and will almost certainly add to their tally of 126 councillors across the UK in the local elections on 6 May.

No matter how many of us reading this spoil our ballot papers, realistically, we're not going to achieve a great deal. But by voting Green, we can achieve an awful lot more.

I suggest you view the Green Party website. www.greenparty.org.uk

green thinker

real alternative green party: also for democracy?

27.03.2010 22:19

green thinker wrote:

"The most effective way to protest against the undemocratic system, capitalism and the corruption of the big 3 parties is to vote GREEN!! "

So, we as citizens may vote soon and again in five or so years. In between we will have nothing to say about policy or any political issues which crop up. The green party will solve all problems which we face. Electoral dictatorship as preferred by the dominant parties?

What is the green party attitude to a democracy reform which would allow the electorate to select and decide on public issues in the periods BETWEEN elections? With methods such as the citizens' law-proposal, the veto referendum and the recall of unwanted or incompetent politicians?

iniref

iniref
mail e-mail: info@iniref.org
Homepage: http://www.iniref.org/index.enter.html