Election day today

[sqbr]

I support all of you's right to vote for whoever you truly feel is best to run this country, as long as you don't make your decision based entirely on selfishness or scare tactics etc.

That said, if you help the Liberals win(*), I will hunt you down and kill you.


(*)This includes not voting, or voting above the line without realising where your prefrences go on a two party preferred basis. I realise that this puts my foreign readers in a difficult bind but that's just the price you pay for being sneaky dirty foreigners isn't it? If I have any underage readers you should go put on a fake moustache and vote anyway.

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This message was authorised by Dr Sophie on behalf of the OhGodNotFourMoreYearsOfThis organisation, Perth. Spoken by Dr Sophie.

Further small print: since it seems to have escaped some people: I didn't say that voting Liberal is neccesarily anything other than a reasoned and thoughtful decision made in accordance with that person's values. I have met many intelligent and decent Liberal voters.

...and they will be sorely missed when the revolution comes. (That and the entire CEC. No political party that promotes geometry over algebra can be allowed to survive)

Comments

[greyreviews.livejournal.com]

See whereas i believe it is their right to do so and fully support their action.

If someone for whatever reason (ignorance/disinterest/dissatisfaction) decides that they are unable to make an informed decision about who they personally want to vote for, it is better that they make an informal vote than one they didnt think about or just made because it was the shiniest form some idiot shoved in their face on the way to the station.

So im all in favour for someone getting their name ticked off, scribbling on the ballot "all these people are wankers" and leaving.

Donkey voting on the other hand, of just mindlessly 1,2,3 ing down the page i hate with a passion, as it still has to be counted as a valid vote even though it is unlikely to bear any relationship to that persons actual political preference assuming they had one at all.

[alias_sqbr]

If you genuinely don't care and haven't looked into it, or genuinely have no preference, then I agree that an informal vote is better than a random (or god forbid donkey) vote.

But: I think it's the responsibility of every member of a democratic country to care, and look into it. Once that's done I doubt there'd be many people left with no preference at all (or a strong desire to not vote as a protest against the system etc).

In my opinion informal votes are largely a way to for people to avoid having the party they vote for come in and turn out to be crap, making them feel responsible. But not voting makes you as responsible for the outcome as voting. (If someone accepts that and chooses not to vote anyway, then, well, fair enough)

You know, I think we've had this discussion before...

[greyreviews.livejournal.com]

Probably, but that is the nature of elections isnt it. Everyone gets to repeat what they said last time, maybe with a slight twist depending on what they think they can get away with.

Also i agree that it is a civic responsibility to take interest and make an informed decision. Its just a pity that not everyone lives up to that responsibility.

[alias_sqbr]

Its just a pity that not everyone lives up to that responsibility.

Hmm, indeed *sigh*