Who To Vote For.

[saintpeter48]

I don't know if this has already been posted on here but i'll ask anyway.
In the local elections on May 2nd, I don't know who to vote for, or if I should vote at all. I am a staunch brexiteer and in my area I have a choice between Tory, Labour, Lib Dems and Greens, i've contacted them all and three of them are remainers and one a leaver, the Tory candidate.
Having been a Labour voter all of my 71 years, apart from the last couple of times when I voted UKIP, I feel that I cannot vote for the Tories, it is against all of my working class background and my dad would certainly turn in his grave if I did!
I feel I have to do something and I don't want to not vote, is there a way I can spoil my ballot paper or has anyone any suggestions as to what to do.
I know the local elections should not impact on what happens in Westminster, but speaking to family and friends, listening to the media etc, there are thousands like me.
Any comments will help, thanks.

[jim360]

I would say swallow your working class background and vote for the Tory candidate, if on the issue that matters most to you they're in agreement with you.

[Ken4155]

How would spoiling your ballot paper differ from not voting?

[saintpeter48]

Ken4155. At least if I spoil it then it will be counted!

[Ken4155]

Then i would guess the easiest way to 'spoil' it is to select all the candidates.

[Peter Pedant]

spoil the paper
this is taken in this culture to mean that you will turn out to vote and there is nothing worth voting for

dont write swear words - and also dont make a mark that can be taken as a vote....

yeah I was thinking of doing this myself

[4candles]

//I know the local elections should not impact on what happens in Westminster...//
There's your answer - vote on local issues.

[pixie374]

I agree with Jim. Vote for whoever represents you most at the time. It isn't about tradition or history, but for the future. You can change your vote next time if you change your mind.

[Peter Pedant]

//How would spoiling your ballot paper differ from not voting?//

because it shows that you have made the effort to get your aerriss down to the polling station to vote

[I used to think - durr so thick they cant put an x in a box but it is a recognised way of protesting - wanting to vote but with no one to ote for

[naomi24]

//I feel that I cannot vote for the Tories, it is against all of my working class background //

It was against my working class background too. Tony Blair changed all that and the offerings since haven't remedied it - and nor are they likely to. Contrary to popular belief Labour isn't the party of the working classes and hasn't been for a very long time.

[Peter Pedant]

oh my middle clas attitudes were ( from me auld dad)

the tories are power mad and get us into wars
and the labour - are always caught with their hands in the till !

( pre 1959 election)

[pixie374]

I never saw it that way PP. More that "spoilt" papers are people too stupid to know what to do. Maybe there should be a "protest" box.

[Peter Pedant]

// Contrary to popular belief Labour isn't the party of the working classes and hasn't been for a very long time.//

yeah right - then I can probably vote for them this time then

[Old_Geezer]

You vote for a representative (supposedly) not a party. So voting Tory is an option.
That stated, these are local elections and should be decided on local issues.

[MallyJ]

This election is for local council so you need to decide which you would expect to do the best for local people and vote accordingly....I am going totally against my usual voting habit because I blieve the candidate of my choice will do the best for the area in which I live and that is of vital importance and something I feel is often forgotten

[naomi24]

Spoiling papers might be a protest but there's not much point in protesting when no one knows what you're protesting about. Complete waste of time.

[NellieMay]

Forget the past and tradition and vote for the candidate you think will do more for your area and who shares your views, applicable to the age we are living in now.

[EDDIE51]

Spoiled papers count as Void and are disregaurded and then destroyed! So spoiling a paper will achieve NOTHING !!!!

[Baldric]

// I feel I have to do something and I don't want to not vote, is there a way I can spoil my ballot paper //

What is the point in spoiling your paper, you may as well stay at home with another cuppa, spoiled papers count for nothing.

[Calicogirl]

Go and vote. Don't vote on a single issues, that's absurd, vote for who represents your core beliefs in most areas. Brexit will come and go, whichever way the coin drops, so vote for the long term not just about that. Don't spoil you're ballot paper that's pointless. x

[Ric.ror]

I recently found out that anything written on the ballot paper has to be read out to the candidates - hence why at the last election I wrote CORBYN OUT on my paper and why I will be writing BREXIT on the forth coming Local Election ballot paper