Why do you think people don't vote in local council elections? And if you don't why not?

Answer 1

There's nothing worth voting for.

Answer 2

I've been involved in politics for the better part of the past 20 years. I've worked inside the system and outside. There are many excuses/reasons that people use as to why they fail to vote.

Busy, not represented, bad choices, blah, blah, blah.

All these excuses/reasons are simply a cop-out. I saw Bruce Willis in an interview say he doesn't vote anymore because he's apathetic. Could it be that he's just pathethic?

People who choose to fail to vote are acting irresponsibly. They'll try and twist that truth to suit their excuses but the bottom line is they have the ability to be response-able or responsible.

It's not so much that people are all that busy. Taking the time to vote takes very little time. If I work (more than 70 hours a week), own a home, a series of businesses and have a wife and six children and I find time to vote then what's your pathetic excuse? It's not about time, it's about priorities.

It's not so much that people aren't represented by the candidates. The same with the bad choices excuse. It's that they fail to find a candidate to represent them. The person who is motivated/driven the most often wins.

I know I'm different. I ran for office, and won, when I was just two weeks past my 18th birthday. I went on to volunteer for military service and ended up in special forces working alongside some extraordinary individuals. I own a variety of businesses (for economic diversification and multiple income streams) and have a active family life with my hand full. I still find time to not only vote, but attend local, state, national (and sometimes international) meetings with both business and political leaders. I help organize campaigns and work behind the scenes in between and throughout election cycles. I actively seek out candidates and help them develop not just for the next election but for many elections to come.

I used to think everyone should vote. Now I believe that only those that care and inform themselves of the issues should vote. It's hardly a perfect political system and we have tons of room for improvement. But then again, we live on Earth not Utopia.

Answer 3

i am apatehtic about ALL politics, local an general elections leave me cold. I dont vote in local elections mostly because no matter who gets in, life pretty much stays the same. I still pay the same council tax, same rent , the rubbish still gets removed once a week, the libraries close at the same time. Nothing APPEARS to radically change much from one party yo another - at least that is MY perception.

The last time I voted in a general election was when Tony Blair came into power, and I was very disappointed with what he did (removing free further education, diminishing the value of Right to buy and so forth). I dont feel that there is any decent choice between the parties, they are all trying to occupy the middle ground and are all failing miserably. I grew up when Margaret Thatcher was in power and in real terms my life hasnt really much changed - except interest rates are better controlled but thats about it. I dont know what i really expect from political parties, but what i DO know is that none of them are fitting the bill right now.

Answer 4

Very, very good question. I don't because we live in a one party city, Houston, and the candidates are selected at a cocktail party type gathering of that Political Parties elites who decide who will run for that particular office. After the "candidates" for each city council position are "selected", (I think there are 11), then the candidates announce they are running for the office through press releases in the one and only Newspaper. Shortly before the election, the Newspaper Editorial board, (who also gets to attend the cocktail party) "endorses" the candidates chosen by the attendees of the cocktail party. Then the "election" is held and when the results are announced, low and behold, just like magic, the people the Newspaper endorsed are elected by a very nifty wide margin.

The end result is that the "election" is nothing more than a confirmation of the selection process.

Answer 5

Because people have become complacent about democracy. Trite answers like 'there's no-one worth voting for' simply reveal that the person saying so has made little if any attempt to investigate the alternative options. Unfortunately, people still insist on voting along tribal lines - "I'm a working man, so I vote Labour" etc.

At the current time, there is little to choose between the three main parties - New Labour, Blue Labour and the Lib Dums - but there has never been such a large field of 'others' to choose from: UKIP, Greens, Independent, Resident's Association etc etc.

Democracy is a privilege as well as a right, but rights fall into disuse unless they are exercised. I work for UKIP, and have been a parliamentary and local election candidate, and I've always said to people that I don't mind who they vote for as long as its not one of the Lib/Lab/Cons - a vote for them is a vote for more of the same.

I don't want to make a party political broadcast here, but an example of the distortions inherent in politics is that UKIP are a single issue party. In actual fact, UKIP's local election manifesto contains promises for binding referendums on local issues which can be called by voters, the scrapping of VAT and council tax and its replacement by a local sales tax, an end to the funding of non-essential services with the cash diverted to the repair of social housing and a restoration of civic infrastructure, etc etc. I use UKIP as an example simply because I know the details well, but I am certain the Greens, Respect etc etc have equally well thought out local government policies.

It is your responsibility as a voter to investigate the facts, and then make a decision based on what you think is right.

That so many abrogate their responsibility to investigate while exercising their right to vote is one of the reasons why we're in the mess we're in.

PS I would add that so-called 'tactical voting' is one of the reasons why little changes. Your vote is positive - who do you want to run local government - not negative - I don't want x to get in so I'll vote y to stop them. But of course, tactical voting benefits only the 3 main parties, and keeps the smaller parties out, and yet the sheeple keep falling for it.

Answer 6

Because my local Labour council is and has always been corrupt, (and no I'm not a conservative)
for years my town has suffered neglect at the hands of local councillors who only have their own self-interests to satisfy.
British politics is a farce, with only money talking instead of ideals.
I believe in true socialism not New Labour, now what is the point of me voting in a political system that does not represent me, my class or ideals as a British citizen?
Politics today is a loathsome collecting of Capitalist thugs and crooks who use spin to cover up their deceit.

Answer 7

My opinion is that people don't realise that their vote is valuable - how else do we get a Council (or Government) that is truly representative of the plebicite (ie you, me and everyone!) and it's wishes, best interests and so forth.

I also suggest thst it is the self-same people who don't vote that are the ones who moan most about the state of this, that and the other.

I think this applies to all levels of voting - local & county councils right up to General Elections. I think it's fair to say that if it wasn't for voter apathy, the UK wouldn't be in such a sorry state.

Answer 8

They dont vote because they dont think any party are any good which is true i n some point but you should vote for the party that stands for some of the things you believe in. If that party keeps to their promise when and if they get into power is a different thing.
Vote and you can moan complain and demostrate about all thats wrong with local councils.
Dont vote you dont get a say in whats wrong.

Answer 9

Spot the market/gov reasercher anyone ? :-)

I vote , i ran oversea's to escape being arrested for killing the pm and the lib dems (cos if i stayed i would have gone after em with a purple fury) but return to vote for all major elections and thats cos im a patriot and willl be a devout subject of the queen till the day i die.

If the trend of 20-40% turnout continues its got to register in the minds of tony en his band of loony's that they have won. The labour party allways used the "local woking class hero" elections to gain support but now they have it they are totaly in control of all council budgets and thus policy... folks arnt as daft as tony thinks... but are still too daft to vote the bugger out of no. 10..."whats the point in voting for a bunch of spineless puppets?" is the general point of view at the moment.... shame that is exactly what the grinning swine wants.

i keep voting for the simple reason that im not a hypocritical moaner... i stand by my guns when i can and retreat when i must, but i will never lay down the rights of a free british subject to exercise my right to elect who i choose... even if i dont get the one i want at the end of the day.

Answer 10

Candidate should motivate voters for vote. To cast vote is national responsibility. In countries where local council have powers, turnover of voter is better.

Answer 11

Because they don't think they know enough about the local candidates and issues to make an informed decision...and half the time you go and vote and there's only one name on the ballot so you don't even have a real choice.