Sunday, April 29, 2012

I really don't care if people don't vote

During the week a voter survey was getting publicity. Reasons why voter turnout was so low in 2011 were canvassed.

"41% of non-voters put just a little thought into whether or not to vote, and 29% didn’t think about it at all."

Politically mindless.

" The main overall reasons for not voting were that they had other commitments (14%) or work commitments (9%)"

Seemed to me that it was easier than ever before to place an early vote at a convenient time. Lazy.

"33% of all non-voters agreed ‘I don’t trust politicians’ was an important factor (4 or 5 out of 5) on their not voting."

Putting aside the obvious typo in that sentence, I don't particularly trust  politicians either but I have a go at figuring out who I distrust least. I don't particularly trust real estate agents and cops but I am sure there are good ones. Unable to discern.

"Other important factors were ‘it was obvious who would win so why bother’ (31%)...."

Fatalistic.

"....and I’m just not interested in politics (29%)."

And that's legitimate if not somewhat ostrich-like.

But why agonise over getting people like the above to tick a box, possibly cancelling out a vote made with a high degree of information and motivation?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really care if people don't vote.

independent, self-reliant, self-responsibile, tax paying, high-worth, high-value people absolutely have a duty to vote.

But dependent, bludging, irresponsible, WFFing, low-value, low-worth bludgers absolutely should not be allowed to vote!

No Representation without Taxation!

Dole bludgers, codgers, WFFers, state-house kids, and all the rest should never be a allowed to vote or stand of election. Ever. Including Key.

alwyn said...

I may be dumb because I cannot see what is the "obvious" typo in the comment on people not trusting politicians.
The sentence only seems to be saying that a third of non-voters considered that distrust of politicians was a significant reason for not voting.
The way they determined that it was a significant reason was that they rated its importance at 4 or 5on a scale of 0 (or 1) to 5.
What am I missing?

baxter said...

It haws always baffled me why time and money is wasted by officials agonising over people not wanting to vote or enrole. Choice and freedom is what should matter.

Libertyscott said...

One great right in a free society is the right to not participate in politics - people in totalitarian societies have no option - being able to have a private life and not engage in politics, as much as it may be seen by some as abrogating some duty, is a right.

Lindsay Mitchell said...

Alwyn, You aren't missing anything. I am. A brain cell or two. Thank you for explaining what the 4 or 5 signified. I stupidly thought it indicated 4 or 5 people and the following 5 should be 15 to account for 33 percent. Duh.

Anonymous said...

One great right in a free society is the right to not participate in politics

The fundamental great right in a free society is the right to not bludge

everyone who pays no tax; everyone who is a WFFer or gets the Dole or the Super or the Sicko or the Invo or who doesn't love their kids very much and sends 'em to a state school or hospital or lives in a state house.

Every one of them is "choosing to participate in politics" by bludging

and everyone else is "choosing to participate in politics" by paying taxes so they can continue to budge

Anonymous said...

I agree with Anonymous.
The fewer bludgers who vote in elections, the better. I hope that every election from now on sets a new record in the number of bludgers choosing not to vote.

I think it is wrong that a bludger can wander along to a polling-booth and vote for more money to be stolen from others to fund their lazy feckless lifestyle.

On that theme, I'm getting peeved-off with the Nats and their refusal to axe WFF. It is the most poor-quality, wasteful and easy-to-axe thing out there, yet it has survived. Not good enough, Key and co.

James said...

Yep....if a person is so uninspired or so disinterested that they don't vote then that's a good thing...its a self sifting process that allows the interested and informed to make a real impact free from the dross.