None of the above

[Barlow]

Perhaps if people don't bother to turn up to vote or return  postal vote without good reason,  then the vote should be taken off them for the next election.

[asitis]

8 hours ago, Thomas Dalby said:

Or even better, you could write down how you would govern the Isle of Man in a manifesto, give up the internet alias and see how many people vote for it. Scary thought isn’t it?

Sadly, that's what they all do, until they get elected, then they do what the civil service mandarins tell them to do !

 

[Steve_Christian]

I’ve mentioned this before. In the elections at Uni there was always a vote for RON (re-open nominations). I don’t think it would be a stretch for a private members bill to add this to the ballot. And then of course there’s Churchill. ‘Democracy is the worst type of government. Until you compare it to all the others… ‘

[Declan]

14 hours ago, Albert Tatlock said:

Isn't there already a glaring, say 73% 'None of the above' with such as a 27% turnout?

 

 

1. A vote for None of the Above is making an active choice not to support the candidates. 

2. It's easy for the establishment / Government to blame "apathy" and claim non-voters can't be that bothered by the direction the Island is going. 

3. RON (Re-open Nominations) would be better than "None of the Above" - because it's a vote for something (admittedly quite nebulous) rather than one against everything. 

 

14 hours ago, Albert Tatlock said:

Would a 'none of the above' option actually increase turnout by very much in reality?

 

I think it will be used mostly where you support one candidate and can't abide the others. You would vote for  RON in hope for better candidates next time. 

Personally, for individual voters it would provide a better method with which to reject the status quo over a spoilt ballot or not voting. For those people it allows them to participate in democracy. 

However, apart from isolated incidents (like when a party withdraws support for candidate or a technicality with a nomination keeps a popular candidate off the ballot) I doubt it will make much of a difference to the actual outcome of individual votes. And it doesn't change the fundamental issue in the Isle of Man that no matter who you vote for, no matter who wins in individual seats, the government doesn't change.   

Edited May 10 by Declan