Choises
 

In the United States, only about 40 - 45 House seats are undecided(out of 450). If the person running is an incumbent(and not in jail), he will get elected 95% of the time. This is due to gerrymandering. In the last governor's election in Louisiana where I live, there was no serious opponent to the bum who is in office(his current approval rating is 24%). As we say, you get the government you deserve. I still vote, but its due to habit rather than hope.

As they say "it doesn't matter who you vote for, the government still gets in".
In reality, in the constituency where I live, it doesn't matter who you vote for as the Tory still gets in and has done in every election since 1910.

Even at the point where I'm about to walk down to the polling station I'm not sure who's going to get my cross in the national election. Should I go with the (inevitable) flow or make a policy led decision based on what I think is best for the country? The problem with that is there's "hardly a sheet of Bronco between them" (UK tv joke) and when I went through an on line quiz aimed at helping you work out whose policies best fit with your ideas it came out as 20% each for Conservatives, Labour, Lib-Dems, Green and UKIP. I think I might be looking for a pin to take with me. :confused2:

Maybe it really doesn't matter who you vote for as the Scot Nats will be pulling the strings no matter who gets in.

Make them wait
 

I'm keeping my powder dry until just before 10 pm when the polling booths close; that will keep the tellers outside the polling station on their toes.
Their aim is to conduct an exit poll for the political parties - make them sweat.

Incidentally, I have a postal vote but I shall deliver it by hand this time.

Also incidentally, a spoilt ballot paper is reported to be of more interest, and angst, to the parties at the counting stations then a legit one because they all try to convince the returning officer that it is one cast for their candidate; so if you want to be noticed vote for "none of the above" or some such variation.

It's much the same here, especially in the local elections which are also running today alongside the national election.
Very many of the local candidates are standing unopposed so it is a 100% certainty that they will be returned to their post no matter what the turnout happens to be.

I'm one of the 8% still wavering.

I have thought a lot about it - its a privilege and responsibility. 4 or 5 weeks ago I mapped out my priorities:

1. Manage the economy well
2. Don't spend what you haven't got (however worthy the cause)
3. Care for the vulnerable
4. Don't even start to think about cutting taxes until you've finished doing 3 above

No one party, in my view, represents that agenda as i would choose. I am in a 3 way marginal. The candidate i most respect is unlikely to win. The right tactical candidate for my requirements has fought a very negative campaign so i don't really want to vote for him. All in all a tough decision that i am still weighing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A fair and transparent election
 

Apart from which, and just as a "for instance":
A vote in the Hebrides is worth about 5 times more than one in, say, the Isle of Wight.
About 22K voters in the north constituency have a member of parliament viz a viz the 110000 (or thereabouts) on the IoW who also have a single MP.

Thats why some people believe we should have proportional representation!

I told my MP ( Ed Balls himself no less) I wanted direct democracy. An online vote for policies not parties or people. Would you believe he didn't agree? Could it be the huge salary, expense account and job security based on getting promoted to the house of lords might sway his thinking there?

Andy

Not seen any black cats crossing the road yet today so it looks like my postal vote still stands correct :D

I joined the queue at my designated polling station this afternoon and voted for the character pictured above. He wasn't actually on the official voting slip, so I had to add his name and a box, into which I put my cross. I'm intrigued to find out how many others "spoilt" their vote in my constituency.

No longer undecided. No longer a floating voter. I am now, decided. I just hope I'm not sunk.

Vote cast.
A vote for every party on the paper except for one of them.

Exactly so.

The turkeys are never going to vote for Christmas to come early.

I once asked a lawyer acquaintance of mine why something or other was progressing so slowly (I forget what the issue was).
His reply: there is no money to be made from providing a quick answer.
I guess politicians follow a similar line of reasoning; actually many of them are lawyers aren't they? Maybe not the Lord Prescott.

Enough; the deed is done for another 5 years, or maybe not?

Did the cat win?

The Channel4 election event, featuring Paxman, is great viewing.