The Elections Thread - 7 May 2014

Which party you will vote for in the 2014 election?

  • ANC

    Votes: 13 2.8%

  • DA

    Votes: 379 81.9%

  • COPE

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • EFF

    Votes: 14 3.0%

  • FF+

    Votes: 13 2.8%

  • IFP

    Votes: 2 0.4%

  • NFP

    Votes: 2 0.4%

  • ACDP

    Votes: 5 1.1%

  • AGANG

    Votes: 8 1.7%

  • Other

    Votes: 27 5.8%
  • Total voters
    463
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with their actions. I'm asking why they even bother to waste their own time, the time of those waiting behind them in the queue and the time of those counting the votes. If you look at past elections it's really a negligible amount of spoiled votes
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It's a form of protest and the only one available.

Note voting at all is a waste of a vote, but if there was a marked increase in spoilt votes then perhaps the parties would realise there was a problem.

Voting in parliament has an abstain option - which is noted. Perhaps voting papers should have the same.
 
Wyzak said:
And there you are again with your DA, ANC, IFP, Agang or nobody else attitude.
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IFP and Agang still a thing?

None of the small parties know how to run a country, the best they can do is a municipality and even that is questionable.
 
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Wyzak said:
I don't really see why somehow would go through all of the hassle to vote just to spoil their votes anyway and be lumped into the same group as those who don't understand that you should only vote once.
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At least i am bothering instead of not going to go vote and as Daveza pointed out :

daveza said:
It's a form of protest and the only one available.
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Until such time as there is a box marked " Vote of no confidence"
 
blunomore said:
Why would the DA have such support here? Because of the elevated levels of education and literacy in the urban environment?
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The DA is making strong progress all around in major metro`s. Probably because the diversity of people brings new and fresh ideas and bad ideas are not left to stagnate.
 
daveza said:
It's a form of protest and the only one available.

Note voting at all is a waste of a vote, but if there was a marked increase in spoilt votes then perhaps the parties would realise there was a problem.

Voting in parliament has an abstain option - which is noted. Perhaps voting papers should have the same.
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Not pitching up to vote is also a form of protest. Spoiling your vote is also a waste of a vote. Perhaps if parties see that lots of people aren't voting they will realise there is a problem (see what I did there?)

OrbitalDawn said:
What attitude? :confused:

And I was referring to the parties on offer, sorry for not including every single party...
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Sorry it may not have been you specifically, but a lot of forum members have the "vote for the big 2, or you've wasted your vote" attitude. Sounded like you were also heading that direction.
 
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daveza said:
No it isn't, it's a form of indifference.

It gets counted, unlike a stay away voter.
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You don't know the reasons why people don't vote. It's not all indifference, just like not all spoilt votes are protests.

It gets counted you say, but it doesn't get any seats in parliament and it doesn't have a voice in parliament, so what's the point?
 
Wyzak said:
They invaded my privacy by buying my cellphone number from somewhere shady and then using it to cold call me. I am listed on the do-not call databases, yet they didn't care. They also interrupted me and wasted my time.
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If you're referring to the DMA's Opt Out database, then take note that only members of the DMA make use of this database. If DA, or any other political party for that matter, is not a member, then one can't take action against them on this basis.

As laws and marketing practices currently stand, it's very much debatable whether they "invaded" your privacy by obtaining your contact details and contacting you. For all that you know, your contact details could even be public knowledge.

In principle, I stand with you that I do not want to be contacted unnecessarily or unwillingly partake in surveys/polls, unless I explicitly specified that I wanted to.
 
MrR said:
If you're referring to the DMA's Opt Out database, then take note that only members of the DMA make use of this database. If DA, or any other political party for that matter, is not a member, then one can't take action against them on this basis.

As laws and marketing practices currently stand, it's very much debatable whether they "invaded" your privacy by obtaining your contact details and contacting you. For all that you know, your contact details could even be public knowledge.

In principle, I stand with you that I do not want to be contacted unnecessarily or unwillingly partake in surveys/polls, unless I explicitly specified that I wanted to.
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I understand that, but I take every precaution necessary to avoid the unnecessary use of my private information and it drives me up the wall when companies and parties in this case abuse that information.

I did not give them my information, I did not ask them to contact me and it is none of their business who I vote for. I will vote for the better party. If they want to get more votes they should always improve themselves.
 
Wyzak said:
You don't know the reasons why people don't vote. It's not all indifference, just like not all spoilt votes are protests.

It gets counted you say, but it doesn't get any seats in parliament and it doesn't have a voice in parliament, so what's the point?
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So regardless of the fact that I don't agree with any of the parties policies I must vote - because I must vote ?
 
Wyzak said:
You don't know the reasons why people don't vote. It's not all indifference, just like not all spoilt votes are protests.

It gets counted you say, but it doesn't get any seats in parliament and it doesn't have a voice in parliament, so what's the point?
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Come on Wyzak, let's start the Spoilt Vote Party - any spoilt vote would be a vote for us!
We'd get seats easy, probably coming in the top 5 and with the kind of perks MP's get we'd be set up for life!
 
daveza said:
So regardless of the fact that I don't agree with any of the parties policies I must vote - because I must vote ?
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I didn't say that, although I would prefer that.

But I just don't understand why you would go through all the effort to spoil your vote, if you might as well just sit at home and enjoy a biertjie.
 
Nanfeishen said:
What other choice do they have ?

Is there a box marked " None of the Above" - No !

Is there a box marked " No Vote " - No !

Is there a box marked "Abstain " - No !

Is there a box marked " No Confidence in any Party" - No !

etc etc

Dont call people idiots if there is no choice other than to spoil their ballot paper.
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Well even splitting the options into all those variety most of them are still idiots except for the ones not covered by the party options available.

As for "no confidence in any party" just seems like a convenient excuse in most cases.

Most "non voters" are just too ****ing lazy to bother and then look for convenient scapegoats as to not feel guilty about it.
 
joelus said:
Come on Wyzak, let's start the Spoilt Vote Party - any spoilt vote would be a vote for us!
We'd get seats easy, probably coming in the top 5 and with the kind of perks MP's get we'd be set up for life!
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i sometimes get the urge to go all Cobra Commander on the country and encourage everyone to spoil their votes to vote for the libertarian party :p
 
joelus said:
Simply not voting doesn't mean anything, intentionally spoiling your vote means you are voting that nobody is worth voting for.
In this country spoilt votes are counted so if there is a high proportion of spoilt votes it indicates to politicians that they are not representing the needs of people and change from the political status quo is needed.
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As far as I know they are not counted.

Well technically they are counted and listed, but when the division of seats come into play they are not counted so ultimately you are giving more votes to the majority.

But someone like ghoti or Paul can confirm this as I'm no expert.
 
Nanfeishen said:
At least i am bothering instead of not going to go vote and as Daveza pointed out :
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I do agree that you are a whole lot better than a complete non-voter at least forming some part of the process.

But you still don't add any value whatsoever, so sadly end up in much the same boat.
 
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