Initiative: Include both Abstain *and* None of the Above

[GeorgeOP]

Why not include Abstain in every poll? They are not counted in the results of the poll, but they can help show how many people are active. If I know I won't be voting for any option in a poll, I vote Abstain. There is a big difference in a poll that has 2 yes votes and 1 no vote and a poll with the same plus 15 abstain votes.

None of the Above isn't needed in some polls, so I don't know if we should require it. Maybe instead of making hard rules, we just strongly suggest their usage. A poll shouldn't be invalidated just because someone forgot to add Abstain to the options.

 

[ordinaryguy]

There is nothing wrong with voluntarily adding them, just with making them a requirement.

But some people would still vote abstain or none of the above. I feel that we should make it compulsory to put it in. After all, how hard is it to add one more option in a poll?

 

[Shattered]

It's not the fact that it's difficult. It's the fact that people object to putting those options in polls. We shouldn't force people to add to polls what is irrelevant anyways. IE abstain

 

[ordinaryguy]

It's not the fact that it's difficult. It's the fact that people object to putting those options in polls. We shouldn't force people to add to polls what is irrelevant anyways. IE abstain

Anyway, not having abstain is not really a problem. I could just don't vote......

 

[DaveShack]

The main reason for the abstain controversy has been dispelled. It really came from the absurd notion that we should require a true majority, including abstain, to make any poll binding. Now that the people have very firmly stated that abstain should not count, and that a plurality is enough unless specified otherwise, there isn't any reason to leave abstain off.

I'm still opposed to requiring either option. If you want one or both to be included the best way to do that is to be the person who opens the polls. A second best way is to politely ask those asking polls to include the options.

 

[GeorgeOP]

I said don't make it mandatory because a yes or no question doesn't need a NotA and an Abstain option. It should have one of them, but it wouldn't do any good to force both of them. This just gives another reason for the lawyers to try and throw out the results of an election.

 

[FeedBack]

The problem I see with this initiative (and everything that is "hardcoded") is that it will lead to an exception. And if this exception isn't documented, even if everyone agrees in the end, it'd be illegal.

As you can see, I live in Brazil. I don't know if you guys know how things are handled here, nor I know how things are handled in other countries, but we have extremely detailed laws for everything. And every law has it's exceptions. And one exception conflicts with another law's exception. The lawyers always use these flaws to postpone an action and the justice takes at least 20 years to decide who's to blame for a simple car accident. When the decision comes, it's likely the "suer" (is that a word?) has already passed away.

My point is: we don't need strict rules. We need guidance. We need to use the "good sense" in these issues. The poller should ask him/herself: "Would abstain be on this poll?", "Would NotA be on this poll?". As stated, abstain does not count for anything. If you'd vote Abstain, post in the poll thread. If the poller (or anyone else) thinks he could use the information, he will dig it.

The majority always win, of course. So, if someone thinks the other people "good sense" is not his/hers, poll it.

Sorry if I wrote too much or I offended someone, but that's just my point of view. I'm here (and I think most people are) to have some fun. If it turns to be something that stresses me out, I'd (and I think more people would) just leave. Working is good enough doing this to me.