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Voting mechanism question for June 11th.

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  • 27-05-2004 3:44pm
    #1
    Pigman II
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,921 ✭✭✭✭


    Sorry in advance if this question doesn't make sense or if it's already been asked/answered already. I don't visit the politics board that often.

    My question basically is : Is it possible to vote in just one (or two) of the three ballots in the June 11th election WITHOUT the ones you don't partisipate in being marked as 'spoiled' - due to 'not filling them out correctly'?

    If I didn't turn up at all to vote my three ballot papers would (I presume?) be counted as 'absent' but If I turn up and DELIBERATELY don't fill in one or more of my papers (due to protest/apathy or whatever) what is that defined as?

    Basically I want to know whether my local/euro ballots will be marked as absent or spoiled if I go to the polling office and get crossed off the list for being in attendance?

    For present at least I am definetly going to vote in the referendum but as I don't have any faith/interest in ANY of my local/euro candidates and as such don't really feel like voting for any them just for the sake of it. At the same time I don't want my actions to be defined as a 'spoiled vote' when my actions will be that of an 'absentee vote'.


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    #2
    arcadegame2004
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,406 ✭✭✭arcadegame2004


    Pigman II, I believe that if you leave your ballot-paper blank, then then you are not spoiling your ballot, but neither are you part of the turnout of the election/referendum you left the ballot blank for. You are however, part of the turnout you did either spoil your ballot for or vote for.


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    #3
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,414 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Originally posted by arcadegame2004
    Pigman II, I believe that if you leave your ballot-paper blank, then then you are not spoiling your ballot
    No, AFAIK it would count as spoilt.

    Pigman, you have two choices to send a message (a) vote aginast incumbent politicians or (b) while otherwise leaving a blank ballot, write "abstention" or similar across it in big letters.


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    #4
    sceptre
    Registered Users Posts: 19,608 ✭✭✭✭sceptre


    I realise that it always falls to me to ask these questions so, er, what category does it fall into if you eat it (or just take it home)?

    ( I should know the answer but I've forgotten)

    Certainly handing in a blank ballot is a bad idea. Quick slip of a pencil while being counted and who knows where your non-used vote could go.


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    #5
    daveirl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,483 ✭✭✭✭daveirl


    This post has been deleted.


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    #6
    johnlambe
    Registered Users Posts: 114 ✭✭johnlambe


    Originally posted by sceptre
    What category does it fall into if you eat it (or just take it home)?
    AFAIK, you aren't allowed do that.
    If you did, I think it would not be counted in the turnout (AFAIK, turnout is based on the number of ballot papers counted rather than polling station records).
    Originally posted by sceptre
    Certainly handing in a blank ballot is a bad idea. Quick slip of a pencil while being counted and who knows where your non-used vote could go.
    I agree.
    The best way might be to write rubbish (or scribble) all over the paper.


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