UK elections

[kaktus]

In many of threads about the General Elections, I have seen the statement that people would like a "none of the above" box. Can't they just turn in a blank voting paper, or would that be an invalid vote in the UK?

[kempie]

I think a blank voting paper is classed as a spoiled vote.

Spoiled votes are counted but this would include those that are mistakenly spoiled as well as deliberately spoiled.

A 'None of the Above' vote could be counted seperately and give an indication of the numbers of voters unhappy with the candidates/parties on offer.

[Pinotage]

A banks paper is considered spoiled.

If voting papers had 'none of the above' option, and that gains the most votes then no-one  is elected and a new election is called, with none of those named in the previous allowed to stand. That might encourage voting.

[kaktus]

thanks! In Denmark if you don't t mark any of the boxes, it counts as blank vote, so you still use your democratic rights, and the voted is valid.

[Octavius]

If there was a "none of the above" and that theorteically won the vote, then another election would have to be called within a year.  Doesn't mean the candidates would be any different, it would just mean that the existing ones would be canvassing more forcefully. 

[Tim Baxter]

It doesn't matter who you vote for, the government still gets in!  (quote, Bonzo Dog Doodah band)

[kaktus]

ooopps. Suddenly I was wondering if I was telling the truth about valid blank papers in Denmark. So
I checked, and there are NOT valid, they only get counted to check the turn-out. So it must be a urban myth that they're valid, as everyone think they are :0)

Thanks for the answers.