this post was submitted on 14 May 2024
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are blank votes even a reported figure? To my knowledge they aren't significantly reported, otherwise i feel like we would hear a lot more about than we currently don't. I would understand it if it was a reported figure that people talked about, but it sure doesn't seem like it. Although given the current environment, people would probably try and claim that blank votes are actually election interference or some shit.
frankly, this is one of the elections of a democratic institution of all time, judging by how utterly shit this has the potential to play out, i honestly just don't think i have the capability to give a shit.
The Mainstream Press doesn't emphasise them if they're not significant, probably because as "nobody in this balot represents me" they represent a criticism of the very system were that Press is Mainstream and it's way harder for mainstream politicians and the politically-affiliated Press to dismiss such votes as merelly "not engaged in politics".
Blank vote counts are however formally reported and available, so at the very least you can expect that politicians whose win/lose can be decided by a few percent more or less votes would pay attention to it and be interest in swaying at least some of those pople casting blank votes since they are clearly engaged enough to vote, though voting "none of the above".
Around here in my experience they were a fraction of total votes (maybe 1%), but then again I'm in a country were there are around 10 parties with Parliamentary representation, even though the voting system is still a mathematically rigged electoral circles one (though nowhere as bad as the US) so people are far more likelly to find a party that appeals to them and is actually electable.
i suppose in the sense of candidacy, it would make sense that it would effect them directly. I'd still appreciate it if it was publicly reported though, as it's an interesting statistical figure.