To poll or not to poll....that is the question.
I have noticed an upsurge of polls and would like to add my own.
Pete
Polls apart
Polls apart
1974: Brighton Dome 1976: Birmingham Town Hall 1993: London RAH 2008: Manchester Opera House, London O2, Matlock Bandstand, Birmingham NEC 2009: Liverpool Echo Arena 2013 Birmingham
polls
Cute. I want to see how many people vote saying they would never vote! How oxymoronic.
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John the Shorts
- Posts: 491
- Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2003 4:22 pm
- Location: Wales
If I could be bothered voting I would probably vote no,
However in a Democracy (of sorts) I should exercise my rights, for which my forebears fought long and hard, and vote nay.
The question is - Is not voting, an exercise of my democratic rights or should I vote and spoil the ballot paper to indicate my lack of interest?
JTS (Pete - please don't read this as an attack on your poll, it is more in the nature of a query to everybody - In a Democracy should the act of voting be mandatory or will disinterest of the masses result in a loss of interest in voting that will result in the election of those who represent the extremes and are more vocal?)
However in a Democracy (of sorts) I should exercise my rights, for which my forebears fought long and hard, and vote nay.
The question is - Is not voting, an exercise of my democratic rights or should I vote and spoil the ballot paper to indicate my lack of interest?
JTS (Pete - please don't read this as an attack on your poll, it is more in the nature of a query to everybody - In a Democracy should the act of voting be mandatory or will disinterest of the masses result in a loss of interest in voting that will result in the election of those who represent the extremes and are more vocal?)
I think voting should be manatory but it is a bit of a dilema because if you made it mandatory it would not be a demoracy as such - the meaning in the dictionary of democracy
"a political or social unit governed ultimately by ALL its members"
But at the end result is we get the society the majority vote for
It is quite a good way to find out what the "masses" are thinking but if the bulk of the "masses" don't vote then we get the "conservatives" in as my mum always used to say if it was raining on polling day the tories will win and there is a lot of truth in that
You either vote or you can't complain about the result
"a political or social unit governed ultimately by ALL its members"
But at the end result is we get the society the majority vote for
It is quite a good way to find out what the "masses" are thinking but if the bulk of the "masses" don't vote then we get the "conservatives" in as my mum always used to say if it was raining on polling day the tories will win and there is a lot of truth in that
You either vote or you can't complain about the result
In one of our elections the students and many of the supporters of the liberal opposition party decided not to vote, as an act of solidarity with the millions of South African citizens who were denied a vote.
As a result most of the opposition seats were lost and the opposition party's strength in parliament was drastically diminished.
In the next election students and opposition party supporters alike turned up in droves to vote.
Jo
As a result most of the opposition seats were lost and the opposition party's strength in parliament was drastically diminished.
In the next election students and opposition party supporters alike turned up in droves to vote.
Jo
"... to make a pale imitation of reality with twenty-six juggled letters"
"... all words are lies because they can only represent one of many levels of being"
Sober noises of morning in a marginal land.
"... all words are lies because they can only represent one of many levels of being"
Sober noises of morning in a marginal land.
This is becoming quite an interesting discussion in a tangental way.
There are two points I need to make here;
1. My intention was to highlight polls, as in opinion polls, which are a feature in this forum. There are polls and polls and some, by design, can catch you unawares.
2. A poll is as effective as the design of the questions in relation to the targeted audience being able to respond and thus give an unbiased view.
3. The second voting option was 'tongue in cheek' but intended to demonstrate how a poll could be construed to give an unbiased outcome (well spotted Anne)
4. Never state two points and then produce three... damn, if this is a point I've now got four.
Please feel free to develop this thread in any way you wish
Voting, in the electoral sense, is very topical.... now, will the Iraqis have the opportunity to vote for those who are to govern????
Sorry for throwing in that last question
Pete
There are two points I need to make here;
1. My intention was to highlight polls, as in opinion polls, which are a feature in this forum. There are polls and polls and some, by design, can catch you unawares.
2. A poll is as effective as the design of the questions in relation to the targeted audience being able to respond and thus give an unbiased view.
3. The second voting option was 'tongue in cheek' but intended to demonstrate how a poll could be construed to give an unbiased outcome (well spotted Anne)
4. Never state two points and then produce three... damn, if this is a point I've now got four.
Please feel free to develop this thread in any way you wish
Voting, in the electoral sense, is very topical.... now, will the Iraqis have the opportunity to vote for those who are to govern????
Sorry for throwing in that last question
Pete
1974: Brighton Dome 1976: Birmingham Town Hall 1993: London RAH 2008: Manchester Opera House, London O2, Matlock Bandstand, Birmingham NEC 2009: Liverpool Echo Arena 2013 Birmingham
I think Jo provided a good example of what I consider the problem to be if voting is allowed to be optional
The people who choose or are chosen not to vote are normally the ones with the most to lose and by default the "stronger" voices get heard and the weaker ones fall by the wayside even though the weaker ones are normally the ones that need a mouthpiece
The trouble is if you make voting mandatory you take away a fundemental right of a democracy ie freedom of speech and the option of opting out which in a democary is paramount.
For years I did my shopping - when we were at war with Argentina not buying their products and not buying south african products as a vote against the regime there Until someone pointed out to me people of the same mind as I were actually hurting the people we were trying to support
It is a shame that people do not use their right (which people all over the world in different countries have died for) to vote
The people who choose or are chosen not to vote are normally the ones with the most to lose and by default the "stronger" voices get heard and the weaker ones fall by the wayside even though the weaker ones are normally the ones that need a mouthpiece
The trouble is if you make voting mandatory you take away a fundemental right of a democracy ie freedom of speech and the option of opting out which in a democary is paramount.
For years I did my shopping - when we were at war with Argentina not buying their products and not buying south african products as a vote against the regime there Until someone pointed out to me people of the same mind as I were actually hurting the people we were trying to support
It is a shame that people do not use their right (which people all over the world in different countries have died for) to vote
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John the Shorts
- Posts: 491
- Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2003 4:22 pm
- Location: Wales
Paula
Believe it or not but you and I are politically very close - I believe that attendance at a polling (Either North or South) station should be mandatory, but the decision whether to vote or not is an individual choice. Off course this isn't democratic, to some extent at least, but does at least ensure that no-one is disenfranchised.
JTS (Democracy is Coming, or maybe it isn't?)
Believe it or not but you and I are politically very close - I believe that attendance at a polling (Either North or South) station should be mandatory, but the decision whether to vote or not is an individual choice. Off course this isn't democratic, to some extent at least, but does at least ensure that no-one is disenfranchised.
JTS (Democracy is Coming, or maybe it isn't?)