Abstaining

[Каие]

What is the purpose of abstention votes? I am told it is for people who don't want to vote...but that is clearly flawed, as people who don't want to vote...just don't vote. Not calling for their destruction or anything, just wondering.

[Soulghast]

I can find no purpose either, but it appears it has always been there, and nobody ever complained about it. I personally don't care, and I do not believe it affects anything.

[Каие]

just wondering what the 'official line' is.

[Squid]

My guess, it allows someone to partake in the election without having to choose one of the option/people being voted on, hence they are participating in the democratic process and yet are indicating they don't like any of the options presented to them.

[Fabolous]

Oh, we haven't had this thread in awhile. Quite awhile.


Anyways, it hurts nothing. It has zero cons whatsoever. Does it have any positives over having no option for those displeased with the choices? Yes, it does. A minor one is that it can stand as a protest against the choices available, or the way something has been handled (though, a boycott could do this as well, arguably). Another minor one is that it allows a clear sign for people who feel uncomfortable about voting on something, say a vote on themselves, an obvious option. Further, and most importantly to me, it allows us to gauge how many active voters are in the Curia at any given time, it allows us to judge what types of poll turnout the most voters (bills vs. promotions vs. elections), it allows us to see, in general, the number of people voting.

[Augustus Lucifer]

Oh, we haven't had this thread in awhile. Quite awhile.


Anyways, it hurts nothing. It has zero cons whatsoever. Does it have any positives over having no option for those displeased with the choices? Yes, it does. A minor one is that it can stand as a protest against the choices available, or the way something has been handled (though, a boycott could do this as well, arguably). Another minor one is that it allows a clear sign for people who feel uncomfortable about voting on something, say a vote on themselves, an obvious option. Further, and most importantly to me, it allows us to gauge how many active voters are in the Curia at any given time, it allows us to judge what types of poll turnout the most voters (bills vs. promotions vs. elections), it allows us to see, in general, the number of people voting.

Going to echo these points. I would also add to that, in an election or similar where you are commissioned to vote on 3 people, you can choose to only vote on 2 people and abstain for the third vote, without giving the illusion if the votes were checked for some reason that you maybe forgot to choose a third. I've done this a couple times because I only wanted two of the people listed on the CdeC.

[Каие]

Ah right, well didn't think of that, all very good reasons I guess. Just wondering! Thanks.

[Hunter Makoy]

i agree in kb8 that it kinda comes across as a "have your cake and eat it too" choice, voting that your not voting.

[Каие]

Hey man, you made it to the citizen ranks, congrats!

[Hunter Makoy]

yes, i feel like such a big boy now. thank you.

[Shaun]

What is the purpose of abstention votes? I am told it is for people who don't want to vote...but that is clearly flawed, as people who don't want to vote...just don't vote. Not calling for their destruction or anything, just wondering.

Because sometimes when we don't want to vote one way or another we still have the urge to click one way or the other and vote. If there was no abstain option people who don't give a damn about that particular bill would randomly vote either yes or no.