whether Labour, LibDem, Tory, Green, Ukip etc

whatever your opinion I hope you have exercised your democratic right.

Certainly have. Voted Green. For the first time in my life!

I managed to slot it into my day.

Only one of my local council candidates lived in my local area, but he's also been quite active in local affairs so I felt confident in giving him my vote.

I also voted in the Euro election, but I noted that the people giving out the forms asked me if I wanted to vote in both. It was a curious question, but maybe several people had only wanted to vote in the locals.

I regret I did not vote even though I'm happy to accept it as a "Duty".

There was no choice and with sincerity have been unable to put a cross by anyone

I should vote, I did not vote because I was unable to choose.

Wish I did now but Genral Election I will do.

Didn't vote. Don't think I will ever vote again.

Democracy simply doesn't work.

you suggest democracy isnt working

a number of years ago i spent some time living amongst the Mursi people in the Omo Valley, southern Ethiopia.


some of the most democratic people you will ever care to meet. for them, democracy resided in the art of recalling ones ancestors and never raising bad feelings toward others.

on this basis, democracy is all around us. even when there isnt a polling-booth in site



ty

I did vote.

Not voting achieves nothing. There will still be winners in politicians whether we vote or not. If we don't vote then we merely allow others to decide who our politicians will be. We had ten candidates in our Euro election ballot, so plenty of choice. It might be that none are very good, and I certainly don't approve of our being in the EU, but to boycott the election would be pointless. I voted for an anti-EU candidate just to make my point.

Locally I voted for our former Mayor.

The best result on the night might be that Hartlepool re-elected their old football team mascot as Mayor. He first stood as a joke, and now he's in his third term.

But why does it take three days to count the votes for the Euro? Possible fewer people vote than in a general election where the votes are counted overnight.

Dominic Dee wrote:
I did vote.

Not voting achieves nothing. There will still be winners in politicians whether we vote or not. If we don't vote then we merely allow others to decide who our politicians will be. We had ten candidates in our Euro election ballot, so plenty of choice. It might be that none are very good, and I certainly don't approve of our being in the EU, but to boycott the election would be pointless. I voted for an anti-EU candidate just to make my point.

Locally I voted for our former Mayor.

The best result on the night might be that Hartlepool re-elected their old football team mascot as Mayor. He first stood as a joke, and now he's in his third term.

But why does it take three days to count the votes for the Euro? Possible fewer people vote than in a general election where the votes are counted overnight.

"We had ten candidates in our Euro election ballot, so plenty of choice. It might be that none are very good..."

Take it or leave it is not a choice.

I voted - there was plenty of choice and I think that even if you are disillusioned with politics then it is worth voting. Not voting basically disconnects you from the process. Not every vote can change things - but today's results have put great pressure on Brown to go and shown public feeling.

We all should vote at the General Election. I am not a 100% believer in a two party demorcracy but it is better than a One Party Dictatorship.

Take it or leave it is a choice. You choose to take it or you choose to leave it.

Ten candidates from varying political spectrums also gives us a choice. Left, centre, right, anti or pro Euro, etc. When I said I don't know if any will be very good, I mean as an individual in the job, because none of the candidates have been tried yet.

I'm left wondering what your definition of "choice" is.

Dominic Dee wrote:
Take it or leave it is a choice. You choose to take it or you choose to leave it.

Ten candidates from varying political spectrums also gives us a choice. Left, centre, right, anti or pro Euro, etc. When I said I don't know if any will be very good, I mean as an individual in the job, because none of the candidates have been tried yet.

I'm left wondering what your definition of "choice" is.
My defination of choice would be genuine alternatives.

The idea of take it or leave it is not a choice. Only when I can actively choose am I granted choice.

The of idea or like it or lump it is imposition.

What choices can there be other than left, right, centre, anti or pro, or neutral or independent, or even to not vote at all? I think that covers all the possible alternatives. Unless I'm missing something.

Dominic Dee wrote:
What choices can there be other than left, right, centre, anti or pro, or neutral or independent, or even to not vote at all? I think that covers all the possible alternatives. Unless I'm missing something.
Now you concede not voting is a valid purpose?

Keep moving the goal-posts and eventually you're right