No option available for "non-voters" ?

[argorstran]

I notice that this month's poll does not include an option for those who will not be voting at the general election . This is usually around 40% or so of the population so should it be on there as an option ? What do other ABers think ?

[boxtops]

There isn't an option for "other" either, for people who might want to vote for local/minority parties.

[dotty.]

what poll? what general election?

[boxtops]

The AB poll, dotty, when you log on.

[anneasquith]

good point.

[boxtops]

Dotty: http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/

[THECORBYLOON]

I asked about including the SNP and the other parties in Ulster and Wales but got short shrift off the Ed.

[ichkeria]

There should be, and also for the N Ireland parties, SNP and PC. After all the BNP have made it on there.

[argorstran]

Looking at the home page layout there is only a certain amount of space for the poll and every option has to be on a new line , so I can understand the Editor limiting the number of options because of space constraints .

[LazyGun]

Well, there was a low point of 60% argor, in 2001, but it has been climbing since. Highpoint for voter turnout in the UK at a general election was around 80%.

I have some sympathy with the idea of mandatory voting, enforceable with a fine or similar at general elections myself, with the proviso that there is a "none of the above" tickbox available to the voter ;)

http://www.ukpolitical.info/Turnout45.htm

[SumBod]

I don't recall any voter turnouts greater than 40%-ish, so "Not-Voting" is a significant ommission.
Also missing out the significant Wales/Scotland/NI options clearly makes this an English-only poll.
It would have been possible and very sensible to at least put in an "Other" option.

[argorstran]

Thank you for your replies everyone . The % of non voters is a fair chunk of the population - even in high turnouts . I think it would be the same with ABers too .

[dotty.]

what's the poll for? is there a general election due or something?