Strategic voter bollocks

[In Bloom]

The other one that works is spoiling it by putting your own politics - anti-war, anti-capitalist or a local campaign - on the paper. This won't raise such a smile but it does worry the hell out of Labourites.

In what way? Do they all start saying "Oh no! Somebody who doesn't vote didn't vote for us, better change our policies, quick snap!"

 

[BarryB]

If the choice is really that bad, spoil your paper by writing something on it. I was at a count that had "SXXX MXXX is shagging MXXX JXXX", i.e. a local councillor and the local Labour MP. All the council tellers pissed themselves when they saw that and the returning officer had to show it to all the other candidates to ensure it was a spoilt paper.

Turned out it was true as well...

The other one that works is spoiling it by putting your own politics - anti-war, anti-capitalist or a local campaign - on the paper. This won't raise such a smile but it does worry the hell out of Labourites.

If you think that at the end of a long tiring campaign the candidates care about what is said on spoilt papers you are very much mistaken.

BarryB

 

[KeyboardJockey]

In what way? Do they all start saying "Oh no! Somebody who doesn't vote didn't vote for us, better change our policies, quick snap!"

Spoiling ballot papers might make the individual feel better in themselves but in areas like mine - especially in a close contest - could give influence to something far worse than they expect.

 

[JTG]

I spoiled in the council elections last year, just NuLabour, Tories and Lib Dems to choose from so I simply wrote 'none of the above' on the ballot

I do accept KJ's point that sometimes something else is called for. I wouldn't endorse a Labour vote all the time but protecting a good Labour councillor from the BNP is something I find hard to condemn really