Right to vote No adds to people’s choice

The ‘no’ vote would add to the power of the electorate and should be made available in elections
VoteNo

On November 24, the High Court asked the government and Election Commission to give reasons why the Representation of the People Order (RPO) should not include provision for a “no” vote.

Bangladeshi elections have offered a no vote option in the past. The court order was issued in response to a petition making reference to the recommendation to include a “no” vote in the RPO amendment proposal of 2009.

Past evidence from elections in the 12 different countries, including Bangladesh, that have included variants of “no” or “none of the above” options on ballot papers is highly positive. Voters exercise the option to vote “no” sparingly and responsibly.

Indeed at the last election, the existence of a no vote option did not prevent either a very high turnout or the vast majority of voters from giving their vote positively to a candidate of their choice.

The use of “no” vote options is spreading as other countries and US states have been considering adding this choice to their voting papers.

Whether or not the “no” vote is used much in practice, it seems clear to us that it is preferable to merely allowing people to choose not to vote or to spoil their ballots.

By empowering people with the ability to reject all candidates and trigger a fresh election, it adds to democratic choice. The “no” vote is a sensible addition to the power of the electorate and should be made available in elections.

Source: Dhaka Tribune

The ‘no’ vote would add to the power of the electorate and should be made available in elections

The ‘no’ vote would add to the power of the electorate and should be made available in elections – See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/editorial/2013/dec/05/right-vote-no-adds-people%E2%80%99s-choice#sthash.ywiuSAas.dpuf

he ‘no’ vote would add to the power of the electorate and should be made available in elections – See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/editorial/2013/dec/05/right-vote-no-adds-people%E2%80%99s-choice#sthash.ywiuSAas.dpuf