Quote:
Originally Posted by Sailor Steve
"If there's no box marked 'None of the above' I sure can!"
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There is. Submit your ballot with no candidate selected. It is called casting a null ballot and the number of null ballots is recorded and is available to the political parties (and everyone). Casting a null ballot is a good way to send a strong message to the parties.
A person who casts a null ballot is a person who cares enough to vote, but chooses not to vote for any of the candidates. The political parties get these numbers and it is these voters that the parties want to win. A person who casts a null ballot will probably vote again in the next election. An election where they get 10% null ballots is sending a strong message to the parties.
A person who does not vote at all is sending the message that they probably won't vote in the next election either so the political parties write those non-voter off and ignore them.
Because our elections are decided by a plurality and not a majority, non-voters don't affect the election.
A null ballot is a powerful tool for the citizen to communicate dissatisfaction with the current candidates. I do wish more citizens would use this tool.
A null vote says that you care, but are not happy
A non vote says that you don't care.