I think it's worse and society should treat it as worse. Not legally, but with shame. You are literally discarding the right for which countless of your ancestors have fought and died in the last few hundred years, choosing to be a voteless passenger
I think it's fine to not make a choice as long as you don't complain about whatever you end up getting. Only voters should get to complain and criticize.
There's a difference between invalidating the slip and not sending one at all. In the former, you are explicitly stating your opinion; in the latter, you might have just forgotten to vote.
I don't think its smart to force people to vote on decisions they are not educated on, and it's unreasonable to expect everyone to have a valid understanding of every issue. You just end up being able to decide every ballot measure based on who paid the most for advertising (so basically the way it is now).
You are literally discarding the right for which countless of your ancestors have fought and died in the last few hundred years, choosing to be a voteless passenger
Does someone have to fight and die for the right to be a voteless passenger for it to be okay in your eyes?
Nope, I just wish people would stop fucking kidding themselves about abstaining being a "neutral" choice. Those are just lies that gullible people believe because it's easier than spending 10 minutes per day to educate yourself politically.
When you abstain from an election or vote you're just letting the radicalized voters (whoever this might be, can be left or right) gain more influence. Democracy survives by constant participation.
If people start viewing it as "I pick only what 100% matches what I want / only if X viewpoint is fought for as fanatically as I want" instead of "I pick the content that is most agreeable to my personal views", then it's already dead. And that's how it is right now for some countries.
It's just really, really fucking stupid to not vote. As I said above, compulsory votes are wrong too because ultimately it is your choice, but I can definitely call it dumb as fuck.
There's not a single election/referendum I've ever been eligible to vote in where the result would have been any different had I voted in any way. It's a pointless endeavour and a waste of time.
If you want me to pretend I vote because "what if everyone did that?" then fair enough.
"I pick the content that is most agreeable to my personal views"
In the UK this is an idiotic way to vote, and you might as well stay at home. You need to vote for the person most likely to beat the person you like the least.
I've migrated now, so I'm not eligible to vote where I live and I've got no intention of returning to the UK. Do you think I should still vote in UK elections?
I agree wholeheartedly. I believe that non-voters that are able to vote are a drag on the rest of us and at least as responsible for where we are now as the conservative voters are, both on your side of the pond wherever conservatism is screwing people over and on mine.
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u/Elrond007 May 14 '25
I think it's worse and society should treat it as worse. Not legally, but with shame. You are literally discarding the right for which countless of your ancestors have fought and died in the last few hundred years, choosing to be a voteless passenger