None of the Above (NOTA)
Much was made of UKIP’s success at the recent local elections at the expense of the three main parties, and most notably the Tories. Traditionally it has been the Lib Dems that surge in the local elections as people use their vote to protest against the ruling party, but UKIP seems to have taken on that role with the Lib Dems in coalition.
It is currently difficult to gauge whether the gains by UKIP are the public wanting to give the Tory-Lib Dem coalition a bloody nose, or true support for UKIP’s anti-Europe policies and their smoking and beer drinking leader. However, if a None of the Above (NOTA) option is added to the ballot as proposed recently by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), then it will become very apparent how much of that swing is voter disenchantment.
Spain and Columbia have the “voto en blanco”, and Greece has a “white” option where the electorate can make their voice heard that none of the available candidates are worth their vote, but what would happen in the UK? Currently voter turnout is very poor, especially amongst younger people, making it easy for politicians to ignore their desires and claim political apathy. But whilst some may be apathetic, many others simply do not see a candidate they believe will represent their interests, and they see business as usual in Westminster no matter who wins the public vote. A vote for NOTA would be a true protest vote, a protest that would avoid causing the major parties to lurch to the fringes of their beliefs to “protect their base”, it is a simple vote of no confidence.
There are downsides to a NOTA option, however. It is a distinctly negative option, one where people complain of the problems but do not embrace any ideas for a solution, and it could ask some interesting questions if the NOTA option garnered more votes than any real candidates.
Is NOTA the ultimate protest vote, or just a depressing conclusion to ever higher levels of voter apathy? Let us know in the comments.
9 Comments
Firstly, thank you very much for the article and helping us get the NOTA message out there! Much appreciated. However, I take issue with the last couple of paragraphs. Voting NOTA is categorically NOT a ‘distinctly negative option’. An official NOTA option on the ballot paper provides a positive and progressive check and balance in any voting system. If more people want to vote NOTA than for any candidate or party put forward, than clearly there is something very wrong with the political system that needs to be fixed. How is being able to demonstrate that negative?! I hate it when people say that – it’s the other way round! Voting for the lesser of several evils because you cannot register a vote of no confidence – that’s negative. Not voting at all because there is no point – that’s negative. Spoiling the ballot knowing that it won’t be recognised as a NOTA vote but lumped in with those ‘spoilt in error’ – that’s negative. And they are the only options currently open to the silent majority of dissatisfied voters at this time. Time to change it. Time for something positive. Time for NOTA.
I think NOTA sounds like a great idea! Wish the country would wake up and show the politicians that we think they are terrible at their job and we need a real change.
I’m not so sure it’s a positive tbh. The idea is interesting, but it doesn’t offer an alternative just a more focused complaint. It would be much better if there was a new party that actually offered something new (and UKIP as far from new).
I think I’ll stick with voting Green
Unfortunately, without NOTA and with the First Past The Post
voting system that we have, the Green party simply cannot win enough seats nationally to have any real influence on policy. Only a change to a fairer voting system could facilitate that. Since the faux referendum on AV, the likelihood of that ever happening under the current system is zero. Because of this, a vote for the Greens, or any party for that matter, is really just a vote for the continuation of a corrupt two party system that serves corporate and financial sector interests only.
NOTA is the first step on the road to reforming the voting system into one in which parties like the Greens actually stand a chance of making a difference. As such, it is inherently positive. Getting NOTA on the ballot is acheivable because it is a democratic pre-requisite that could not be denied us any longer if enough people and official bodies were to get behind it and demand it on that basis.
That’s a fair point. Is there a petition or something to sign to get this started?
There certainly is! Early days, but it’s getting there: http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/inclusion-of-an-official-none-of-the-above-option-for-all-uk-elections-2
A positive thing that NOTA would provide, especially for the psephologists, is a true indication of the proportion of the population that is politically engaged rather than assuming that the FPTP party elected has a mandate.
If people, especially younger people, feel their vote will be counted, maybe we could start to rebuild a viable democracy based on the enfranchisement fought for, for many years by such people as the Suffragettes and (don’t laugh) The Monster Raving Loony Party.
In the current system if the turnout is circa 50% and the FPTP party gains 32% of the vote, that amounts to 16% of those eligible to vote. Hardly a mandate. Anything with the potential to up the turnout has to be a good thing.
Anything that takes votes away from UKIP’s xenophobic and damaging policies is a good thing. Time for NOTA!
which policies are xenophobic?? none prove it ugandan asian ,,indian and jamican born uk citizens all have positions of power in ukip what other party can say the same ???