I have spoken with a couple of people who could have voted at the recent Lancaster City Council by-election but they didn't. Local elections were not seen as important for either of them and they are not on their own. Less than one in eight of the electorate voted in this election. How are we going to get voters interested? For that matter how are we going to get candidates interested? The obvious answer is to reform the system. Let's have a voting systme that means votes count. Why should any individual bother to vote, after all who has heard of an election won by one vote? AV may be a stepping stone to a better system but even if we get this concession will it go far enough to enthuse the nation to vote? I fear not.
We have spoken about change for so long but when are we going to vote at the supermarket? Why are we voting on Thursdays? Can we vote through mobile phones or computers? I am instinctively against a compulsory voting system but could we persuade voters by making the system easier?
What is really concerning is that we get no change to the system and we continue to accept that four or five per cent of the electorate is enough to give a mandate to an elected representative. These people may have won because the returning officer says they have won but democracy has lost.
Change the world
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Compulsory voting...yes that seems fair and democratic Mr Gradwell - as long there is a box at the end for "none of the above"
ReplyDeleteThat may have the positive effect you are looking for in the voting turnout figures.
Change the world lol!!!!!
Thanks for your comment Anonymous but it would mean so much more if you left your name. We disagree on compulsory voting but if we were compelled then I agree with you and I would want the ability to spoil my vote. How else would we know that none of the candidates were worth voting for?
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you want to improve the world? I don't get your sense of humour. lol :-) or your multiple exclamation marks.
"Why don't you want to improve the world"
ReplyDeleteWhere did I say or state that Mr G?
Government of the people, by the people and for the people- when that state of governance exists we all will experience a better qality of life and see a better world.
Voting for the main political parties will continue our current decline and maintain the status quo that you and your cronies work so hard to protect and maintain in power Mr G.
Forgive me if my inference is incorrect Anonymous but you are laughing at the expression "change the world".
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, possibly the same person, has sent a comment to me referring to a book. As I do not wish to read this book it is pointless commenting on it. If anonymous wishes to make a specific point relevant to my blog then they are welcome to do so but surely the society "out of the darkness" to which they refer should mean that they use their own name.
ReplyDelete