voting why hardly any media coverage???

[Damien]

Originally Posted by injuneer

35% turnout, hardly fired the nation's imagination then! The majority stayed at home.

Local elections will never attract a large amount of voters, the Majoral London Election has a turnout that exceeded the general election however. There seems to a lot of people who are very fired up about who becomes Major and I can understand why.

It was a very bad night be Labour, not a great one for Lib Dem, very goo for the Torys and bad for the BNP so far.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by injuneer

35% turnout, hardly fired the nation's imagination then! The majority stayed at home.

http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/turnout.htm

Look at how the General Election stats have dropped since 1997 - could Bliar's spin be responsible?

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by Osem

http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/turnout.htm

Look at how the General Election stats have dropped since 1997 - could Bliar's spin be responsible?

Yes, voter apathy was one of his best weapons for staying in power.

[freezin]

Originally Posted by Osem

http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/turnout.htm

Look at how the General Election stats have dropped since 1997 - could Bliar's spin be responsible?

The link shows the sharp fall started before Blair. All parties are responsible for not inspiring enough voters to turnout.

[NEONKNIGHT]

I was acting as a poll clerk in yesterday’s local elections. A very poor turnout on the day, just like the rest of the country.

[foreverwar]

Originally Posted by freezin

The link shows the sharp fall started before Blair. All parties are responsible for not inspiring enough voters to turnout.

If you don't count the inconvenient fact that the number of voters in the 87 and 92 election were greater than in the 83 election.

From 51 - 97 the highs/lows were 81% - 71%, going up or down 4 or 5 percent each time - after 97 it plummeted from 71% to 59%, then up to 61%; still way below the previous low of 71%.

[freezin]

Originally Posted by foreverwar

If you don't count the inconvenient fact that the number of voters in the 87 and 92 election were greater than in the 83 election.

From 51 - 97 the highs/lows were 81% - 71%, going up or down 4 or 5 percent each time - after 97 it plummeted from 71% to 59%, then up to 61%; still way below the previous low of 71%.

How does that mean that Blair is responsible for the huge drop in voter turnout?

[tphj]

It's time the rules were changed to increase the voter turnout.
It should be compulsory to attend the polling station and register your vote on the ballot paper.If for some reason you don't want to vote for any of the candidates then spoil your ballot paper by writing "non of the above" or "no candidate deserves my vote".
If enough people did this the parties would sit up and rethink their polices.
There should be zero tolerance on this, failure to vote would result in a heavy fine and loss of liberty for eight hours per week for fifty two weeks.Not in prison bur somewhere where some good to the community could be accomplished

[foreverwar]

Originally Posted by freezin

The link shows the sharp fall started before Blair. All parties are responsible for not inspiring enough voters to turnout.

Originally Posted by foreverwar

If you don't count the inconvenient fact that the number of voters in the 87 and 92 election were greater than in the 83 election.

From 51 - 97 the highs/lows were 81% - 71%, going up or down 4 or 5 percent each time - after 97 it plummeted from 71% to 59%, then up to 61%; still way below the previous low of 71%.

Originally Posted by freezin

How does that mean that Blair is responsible for the huge drop in voter turnout?

I didn't say that - I was responding to your post re "the sharp fall started before Blair"; the stats show that the rise/fall was fairly steady (within a 10% margin) for just under 50 years, and in fact the percentage had risen in the previous two general elections to 97.

Now, some people might state as an opinion that the figures plummeted to an all time low after Blair was elected, but I try not simplify cause and effect in complex situations.

[freezin]

Originally Posted by foreverwar

I didn't say that - I was responding to your post re "the sharp fall started before Blair"; the stats show that the rise/fall was fairly steady (within a 10% margin) for just under 50 years, and in fact the percentage had risen in the previous two general elections to 97.

Now, some people might state as an opinion that the figures plummeted to an all time low after Blair was elected, but I try not simplify cause and effect in complex situations.

OK, so what do you put the fall down to?

[foreverwar]

Less people voting.

[budwieser]

To be Honest, I don`t think the public give a toss anymore. They know that they are going to get shafted anyway!
Why the hell are we paying so much in Taxes?
When can we have a government that really cares and looks after its constituants?
No matter which party gets into power, they`ll all be in it just to line their own pockets.
No government or political party has ever, for the last 40 years, cared about making life better for the hard working, decent,tax paying people of this country. The people who want to work hard and succeed are taxed to the hilt.

[Enuff]

Originally Posted by budwieser

To be Honest, I don`t think the public give a toss anymore. They know that they are going to get shafted anyway!
Why the hell are we paying so much in Taxes?
When can we have a government that really cares and looks after its constituants?
No matter which party gets into power, they`ll all be in it just to line their own pockets.
No government or political party has ever, for the last 40 years, cared about making life better for the hard working, decent,tax paying people of this country. The people who want to work hard and succeed are taxed to the hilt.

I agree.

[kingbuxton]

To be Honest, I don`t think the public give a toss anymore. They know that they are going to get shafted anyway!

NAIL ON HEAD. I wasn't going to bother, but if the Liberals get back in there is every chance they will build a few houses on what bit of grass is left from last time they where in (in my area that is) so I went Labour as a lesser of 3 evils (Last time the Tories where in, well they may as well have not been, no idea where all the cash went).

[Osem]

Originally Posted by kingbuxton

(Last time the Tories where in, well they may as well have not been, no idea where all the cash went).

Well I'll give you a clue, the cash saved by the previous Tory governments is what Gordon Brown squandered until that ran out, he then sold half our gold reserves at a rock bottom price and proceeded to be so prudent that he gave us the biggest national debt in our history.