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Old 03-16-2019, 09:59 AM   #2840
MBates
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joborule View Post
You might as well not vote if you're going to spoil your ballot. Why waste time?
As someone who strongly believes in the duty to exercise the right to vote that has been bought and paid for by armed conflict and selfless sacrifice of others, I disagree.

Upon attending your polling station and confirming you are validly entitled to vote, you can discharge your duty in two ways without voting for a candidate you cannot support in good conscience.

First you can decline to accept your ballot.

Second you can actually accept the ballot and then choose to send a message by purposefully spoiling the ballot. You can write a reason why you will not debase yourself by selecting any of the candidates to represent you if you want...or just doodle on it. Be creative if you want. There’s not much chance more than one or two ballot counting people will ever see your handiwork but someone might enjoy it.

Regardless, both declined ballots and spoiled ballots are counted and officially made part of the election record:

https://www.elections.ab.ca/news-rep...voter-turnout/

One could fairly argue that rejecting or spoiling a ballot is far better use of time and a more genuine exercise of the right to vote than to pick a candidate you do not support in protest of something.

In my opinion the only unacceptable option is to stay home and allow your absence to be interpreted as someone who is content with the status quo because you were not even bothered enough to show up to be counted.
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