GO AND VOTE (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter shmmeee
- Start date
skybluetony176
Well-Known Member
Just got back. Always vote without fail and always have.
Johnnythespider
Well-Known Member
This thread is like the polling station I visited earlier, empty
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Suffolk sky blues
Well-Known Member
Sod it I'm on nights first time I've missed one.
duffer
Well-Known Member
Shmmeee mate, ninety-nine times out of a hundred I'd completely agree with you. But we've already voted on this as a City, and the decision was that we didn't want an elected mayor.
I've genuinely been torn on this, but I've come to the conclusion that the best way I can express my unhappiness with the complete disregard for the democratic process is not to vote. If the turnout is ridiculously low in Coventry, as I suspect it will be, maybe that will make the point. I entirely accept that others will differ, and that's absolutely their right.
I've genuinely been torn on this, but I've come to the conclusion that the best way I can express my unhappiness with the complete disregard for the democratic process is not to vote. If the turnout is ridiculously low in Coventry, as I suspect it will be, maybe that will make the point. I entirely accept that others will differ, and that's absolutely their right.
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
Apparently the communists were promising to abolish the WMCA, so even those who don't agree with it had no excuse to not vote.
George Osborne knows best.
George Osborne knows best.
Otis
Well-Known Member
Same here. Always vote, but this time didn't. It was only for a mayor and I don't believe we should have one.
No vote from me.
pastythegreat
Well-Known Member
Well put. I did go and vote though. Although, (rightly or wrongly) my little protest was to send a blank ballot paper. I didn't want to waste my vote by not having one, but don't want an Elected Mayor either.
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shmmeee
Well-Known Member
Again, there was an option on the ballot for those that didn't want an elected mayor, you can't bitch if you chose not to use it.
Two things, firstly, this is utter bollocks. Don't let a few high profile cases taint the hard work of politicians of all stripes.
Secondly, if it were true then you're playing into their hands. Find someone who you don't think is like this and support them, stand yourself as the not a dickhead candidate.
There's been a concerted effort to suppress voting in this country for years by those that benefit from low turnouts, it sadly seems to be working.
Two things, firstly, this is utter bollocks. Don't let a few high profile cases taint the hard work of politicians of all stripes.
Secondly, if it were true then you're playing into their hands. Find someone who you don't think is like this and support them, stand yourself as the not a dickhead candidate.
There's been a concerted effort to suppress voting in this country for years by those that benefit from low turnouts, it sadly seems to be working.
chiefdave
Well-Known Member
Was there? Totally missed that, would have gone for that option.
Captain Dart
Well-Known Member
Apparently counting has only started around 9am! Pathetic 22% turnout.
Likewise other authorities.
Likewise other authorities.
Sub
Well-Known Member
shmmeee i totally respect your opinion, but how many times have we seen parties get into power then change what they said they were going to do straight away? ive seen them bail out failing banks for billions of pounds only to sell them on the cheap for their (mates) to make a quick buck, the post office was sold on at a loss but their (friends) made huge profits, this is all while the NHS is cut to the bone, public services suffer, roads are like mine fieldsfull of potholes and public servants (police officers, firemen) dont get pay rises but MP's get above infaltion rises all this while we get taxed more and you tell me its not corrupt?
The country is corrupt people in positions of power and wealth give monies to the parties to push their agenda ( news papers, oil ect ect) to keep making the rich richer and the poor poorer. is there a way to fix this ? i dont know and i to be honest i dont care they can all carry on with it while i work longer hours and later in life to keep food on the table and a roof over my families head, all this so they can retire and live a life that most people only dream of and give talks for 50000 pound a time. Makes me sick .
chiefdave
Well-Known Member
They've revised it to 24% in Cov but still pathetic. 26% across the West Mids. So we'll end up with a mayor who around 15% of the electorate voted for as either first choice or second choice.
Labour has won the first preference votes in Cov by 4K. There's going to be around 10K second votes to take into account.
Labour has won the first preference votes in Cov by 4K. There's going to be around 10K second votes to take into account.
NorthernWisdom
Well-Known Member
I used that option.
duffer
Well-Known Member
Just to clarify shmmeee, are you saying that there was actually an option on the ballot paper that said "I don't want an elected mayor"?
If there was, I'd have turned up and voted for that option. Again. However I'm not going to vote Communist because that would misrepresent my beliefs in many other critical areas.
I also can't draw a line between not voting in a mayoral election and the supposed suppression of voting rights. There are issues with people not voting, though to my mind it's not for the state to force me or anyone else to vote. However in this case Coventry took a vote, which was against an elected mayor. There was no vote to join the WMCA, and (iirc) no mention of it in the manifesto of the party which established it either. To me both of those things are a far greater affront to local democracy than my not voting.
People being deliberately disenfranchised is a different matter, and again not related to my not voting. I agree entirely that it isn't acceptable, but there's no way that my actions can be seen to support disenfranchising voters that I can see..
duffer
Well-Known Member
NW - where was that option on the ballot paper? On the official documentation there was no mention of it, there's a sample ballot in here... https://www.wmcaelects.co.uk/wp-con...ed-Authority-Mayoral-Election-booklet-WEB.pdf
Covstu
Well-Known Member
Same here on this one
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
Yeah the Communist Party apparently had it in their manifesto.
I'm only half joking, a no vote is recorded as being pleased with the status quo, not a protest. While it would've been ridiculous if the Communists had won, a significant vote for an obvious joke party who were the only ones trying to get rid of it would've at least been a clearer message.
Looks like it's Tory anyway. Can't say I'm bothered, I doubt it'll do much and at least Street had a plan for fixing Friargate.
NorthernWisdom
Well-Known Member
The communist geezer said he'd abolish it if he won. Admittedly now I look for that bloody quote... I can't find it!
Anyway, I await the shouting down from Grendel and some of the others about loony left, and the name comes tarnished with certain associations, bit I found his manifesto relatively sane, anyway
West Midlands 2017 Communist Mayoral Manifesto
Plus with a second preference vote, I could use that on my preferred mainstream candidate, too... and as none of those inspired, why not demonstrate that fact?
NorthernWisdom
Well-Known Member
FWIW, I'm a firm believer that if you don't vote, you can't really complain at who gets in.
Even if the option is to spoil a ballot paper, it's surely worth doing that to make a statement of disapproval of the candidates available to you?
Even if the option is to spoil a ballot paper, it's surely worth doing that to make a statement of disapproval of the candidates available to you?
chiefdave
Well-Known Member
1,961,153 eligible to vote and Andy Street wins by 3766 / 0.19% margin leaving Coventry represented by a WM Mayor, a role we didn't want created in the first place, who we didn't vote for with Sion Simon having won here.
Seems a lot of people didn't cast their second vote. The number seems way too high to be people that picked two of Lib Dem, Green, UKIP and Communist.
Seems a lot of people didn't cast their second vote. The number seems way too high to be people that picked two of Lib Dem, Green, UKIP and Communist.
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
Does he have any power over anything that'll affect us like planning?
chiefdave
Well-Known Member
Transport and planning are both under WMCA control now so I think that would be a yes.
duffer
Well-Known Member
I don't see that at all. It's just as likely that a vote for the communist candidate could be read as meaning you want a communist to be mayor, rather than not having a mayor at all.
A 24% turn out should tell the story here - that's how many people were bothered about having a mayor from any part of the political spectrum. Even given current levels of voter apathy that's appalling - there's no way that anyone can claim that either the WMCA or the elected mayor has any kind of mandate within Coventry.
The actions of the elected officials within the city here are one of the prime reasons for voter apathy, at least from me. What was the point in voting down an elected mayor if the council then took it upon themselves to join the WMCA and foist one upon us anyway? I can't see it as anything except a disgrace, and somewhat awkwardly it's the party that I support that's in power!
