984:, and that for some reason, each plantation had a system where the slaves were allowed to choose every four years between two alternative masters. Would it be evil, and sanctioning slavery, to participate in such a choice? Suppose one master was a monster who systematically tortured all the slaves, while the other one was kindly, enforced almost no work rules, freed one slave a year, or whatever. It would seem to me not only not aggression to vote for the kinder master but idiotic if we failed to do so. Of course, there might well be circumstances—say when both masters are similar—where the slaves would be better off not voting in order to make a visible protest—but this is a tactical not a moral consideration. Voting would not be evil but, in such a case, less effective than the protest. But if it is morally licit and nonaggressive for slaves to vote for a choice of masters, in the same way it is licit for us to vote for what we believe the lesser of two or more evils, and still more beneficial to vote for an avowedly libertarian candidates.
645:
687:
48:
741:
it might not be politically expedient to vote according to their conscience. A person may also abstain when they do not feel adequately informed about the issue at hand, or have not participated in relevant discussion. In parliamentary procedure, a member may be required to abstain in the case of a real or perceived
740:
An abstention may be used to indicate the voting individual's ambivalence about the measure, or mild disapproval that does not rise to the level of active opposition. Abstention can also be used when someone has a certain position about an issue, but since the popular sentiment supports the opposite,
900:
was nominated to positions that needed to be confirmed by the Senate; the most recent was on
January 31, 2017 when Chao was confirmed as Transportation Secretary. When a senator is nominated for a position that needs to be confirmed by the Senate, that senator is expected to vote "present", such as
891:
calls each senator's name alphabetically, and, if abstaining, the senator must give a reason for the abstention. Members may decline to vote, in committee or on the floor, on any matter which they believe would be a conflict of interest. An example of a conflict was when
Senator
947:
noted that whether a person votes for the winning candidate, votes for a losing candidate, or abstains from voting, he will be deemed to have consented to the rule of the winning candidate, if they were to follow the doctrine of
725:, depending on each legislation, while an abstaining voter has not voted. Both forms (abstention and blank vote) may or may not, depending on the circumstances, be considered to be a
721:", in which a voter casts a ballot willfully made invalid by marking it wrongly or by not marking anything at all. A "blank voter" has voted, although their vote may be considered a
921:
strategy, some non-voters claim that voting does not make any positive difference. "If voting changed anything, they’d make it illegal" is an oft-cited sentiment attributed to
768:
may actively abstain by voting both "yes" and "no". This is effectively the same as not voting at all, as the outcome will not be changed by active abstention. However, in the
935:, those who reject voting outright, not merely as an ineffective tactic for change, but moreover because they view the act as either a grant of consent to be governed by the
1026:
1014:
939:, a means of imposing illegitimate control over one's countrymen, or both. Thus, this view holds that through voting, one necessarily finds themselves violating the
995:
Can you imagine slaves on a plantation sitting around voting for masters and spending their energy on campaigning and candidates when they could be heading for the "
1003:
alternative; surely Dr. Rothbard would urge them to do so and not be seduced into remaining on the plantation until the
Abolitionist Slavemasters' Party is elected.
779:
could be interpreted as an active abstention. Because of the nature of an abstention, only intentionally spoiled ballots could be counted as active abstention.
760:
An active abstention can occur when a voter votes in a way that balances out their vote as if they had never voted. This has occurred many times in the
748:
Abstentions do not count in tallying the vote negatively or positively; when members abstain, they are in effect attending only to contribute to a
1316:
Goldman's actual writings expressed a distinct sentiment: "There is no hope even that woman, with her right to vote, will ever purify politics."
880:
and many other legislatures, members may vote "present" rather than for or against a bill or resolution, which has the effect of an abstention.
888:
365:
816:
792:
824:
330:
360:
199:
1277:
877:
761:
302:
1238:
769:
819:
otherwise has broad support. By convention, their abstention does not block the measure. If a majority of members of the
505:
1303:
1044:. Peters proposes to treat abstentions like regular votes and allocate proportionatly the number of abstentions to
906:
815:) sometimes abstain rather than vetoing a measure about which they are less than enthusiastic, particularly if the
673:
1048:. Though other than with regular votes, seats are offered after the vote to randomly chosen citizens, similar to
820:
788:
1319:
1251:
850:
691:
350:
831:
1168:
1031:
627:
287:
1019:
1422:
278:
20:
772:, active abstention is not possible as a Lord voting both ways will be removed from the list of votes.
307:
244:
1427:
969:
857:
vote. This was changed in 2017, when it was established that a measure only needed for the number of
500:
259:
1121:
1101:
988:
940:
335:
1106:
764:. During a division (a process where a yes/no vote occurs to agree or disagree with a motion), a
710:
321:
1385:
1432:
515:
416:
297:
1234:
1049:
1036:
describes in his 2021 published book "Nonvoters into parliament - Refreshment of democracy" (
370:
355:
254:
996:
964:
884:
765:
752:. Instead, blank votes may be counted in the total of votes, depending on the legislation.
742:
666:
8:
411:
1370:
1417:
1193:
1141:
1081:
1045:
949:
839:
622:
581:
171:
156:
110:
105:
78:
1281:
1096:
718:
591:
571:
510:
459:
340:
292:
226:
151:
141:
120:
115:
32:
1086:
1000:
730:
525:
454:
406:
249:
235:
1222:
960:
944:
893:
659:
649:
576:
559:
495:
421:
375:
73:
1326:(Second revised ed.), Mother Earth Publishing Association, pp. 219–31
1241:, from lordsoftheblog.net. Published 20 February 2011 and retrieved 4 May 2011.
936:
800:
520:
464:
269:
264:
209:
204:
1411:
1066:
1041:
918:
796:
734:
617:
535:
530:
190:
166:
161:
83:
1116:
1091:
1076:
925:
726:
612:
596:
544:
435:
426:
401:
181:
146:
1218:
1111:
1061:
897:
776:
722:
586:
469:
449:
176:
644:
1304:"U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 115th Congress - 1st Session"
1071:
902:
312:
136:
96:
782:
686:
981:
922:
834:, an abstention on a matter decided by unanimity has the effect of a
92:
1252:"La mini-rivoluzione del Senato. Cosa cambia col nuovo regolamento"
702:
345:
865:
votes in order to pass, with abstentions being counted neither as
1169:"It's Not Just 'Ayes' and 'Nays': Obama's Votes in Illinois Echo"
1012:
The German philosopher and founder of the "Party of nonvoters" (
1354:
1338:
909:
and voted "present" rather than vote for his own confirmation.
808:
804:
749:
714:
706:
64:
39:
812:
47:
1167:
Hernandez, Raymond and
Christopher Drew (7 December 2007).
952:
of which
Spencer stated "A rather awkward doctrine this."
729:(also known as a "blank vote"). Abstention is related to
1038:
Nichtwähler ins
Parlament – Auffrischung der Demokratie
980:
Let's put it this way: Suppose we were slaves in the
1368:
1194:"Frequently Asked Questions about RONR (Question 9)"
1142:"Frequently Asked Questions about RONR (Question 6)"
931:
In addition to strategic non-voters, there are also
709:
either does not go to vote (on election day) or, in
1280:. Rules of the United States Senate. Archived from
1225:. Published 24 April 2012 and retrieved 4 May 2012.
976:s arguments that voting is immoral or undesirable:
783:
International and national parliamentary procedures
791:, representatives of the five countries holding a
713:, is present during the vote but does not cast a
1409:
1352:
1336:
853:, an abstention used to have the effects of a
827:abstain on a measure, then the measure fails.
1378:
1198:The Official Robert's Rules of Order Web Site
1146:The Official Robert's Rules of Order Web Site
667:
1122:Voter turnout § Reasons for not voting
376:Parallel voting (Mixed member majoritarian)
674:
660:
341:Mixed single vote (positive vote transfer)
279:Proportional and semi-proportional systems
1166:
685:
1317:
1410:
878:United States House of Representatives
861:votes to be higher than the number of
762:House of Commons of the United Kingdom
717:. Abstention must be contrasted with "
705:procedure for when a participant in a
1353:Rothbard, Murray (10 November 1980),
1320:"The Tragedy of Women's Emancipation"
775:In another manner, an intentionally
770:House of Lords of the United Kingdom
755:
13:
1386:"Nichtwähler ins Parlament (2021)"
905:was nominated for the position of
236:Plurality and majoritarian systems
16:Refusal to vote during an election
14:
1444:
346:Scorporo (negative vote transfer)
1200:. The Robert's Rules Association
1148:. The Robert's Rules Association
999:?" Surely they would choose the
912:
643:
46:
1362:
1346:
1330:
1007:
821:United Nations General Assembly
789:United Nations Security Council
1356:Konkin on Libertarian Strategy
1310:
1296:
1270:
1244:
1228:
1212:
1186:
1160:
1134:
692:2011 Canadian federal election
351:Mixed ballot transferable vote
1:
1340:The Right to Ignore the State
1127:
1040:) an institutionalisation of
955:
832:Council of the European Union
838:vote; on matters decided by
628:End-to-end verifiable voting
288:Single non-transferable vote
7:
1055:
486:Voting patterns and effects
21:Abstention (disambiguation)
10:
1449:
1369:Samuel Edward Konkin III,
1324:Anarchism and Other Essays
1077:Criticisms of electoralism
694:with or without abstention
308:Single transferable voting
245:First-past-the-post voting
18:
1337:Spencer, Herbert (1851),
970:New Libertarian Manifesto
501:Voting advice application
331:Mixed-member proportional
260:Plurality-at-large voting
1102:None of These Candidates
989:Samuel Edward Konkin III
967:himself, criticized the
941:non-aggression principle
896:abstained when his wife
366:Rural–urban proportional
361:Dual-member proportional
336:Additional member system
1107:Parliamentary procedure
711:parliamentary procedure
690:Comparative results of
1318:Goldman, Emma (1911),
1015:Partei der Nichtwähler
1005:
986:
901:occurred in 2013 when
842:it has an effect of a
695:
516:Passive electioneering
417:Straight-ticket voting
1235:Recording Abstentions
1219:Voted both aye and no
993:
978:
689:
371:Majority bonus system
356:Alternative Vote Plus
255:Instant-runoff voting
1050:citizens' assemblies
1042:nonvoter proportions
965:American libertarian
917:In support for this
885:United States Senate
766:Member of Parliament
743:conflict of interest
322:Mixed-member systems
19:For other uses, see
997:underground railway
650:Politics portal
412:Split-ticket voting
1423:Libertarian theory
1278:"Voting Procedure"
1258:. 18 December 2017
1173:The New York Times
1082:Diplomatic illness
933:ethical non-voters
907:Secretary of State
840:qualified majority
696:
623:Voter registration
582:Voter intimidation
106:Write-in candidate
79:Provisional ballot
1372:Reply to Rothbard
1097:None of the above
889:Presiding Officer
756:Active abstention
684:
683:
635:
634:
592:Voter suppression
572:Ballot harvesting
550:
549:
511:Paradox of voting
477:
476:
460:None of the above
392:Voting strategies
383:
382:
293:Cumulative voting
227:Electoral systems
217:
216:
152:Electronic voting
142:Compulsory voting
1440:
1428:Anarchist theory
1402:
1401:
1399:
1397:
1382:
1376:
1375:
1366:
1360:
1359:
1350:
1344:
1343:
1334:
1328:
1327:
1314:
1308:
1307:
1300:
1294:
1293:
1291:
1289:
1274:
1268:
1267:
1265:
1263:
1248:
1242:
1232:
1226:
1216:
1210:
1209:
1207:
1205:
1190:
1184:
1183:
1181:
1179:
1164:
1158:
1157:
1155:
1153:
1138:
1087:Election boycott
1035:
1023:
1001:counter-economic
975:
731:political apathy
676:
669:
662:
648:
647:
566:
565:
526:Political apathy
490:
489:
455:Election boycott
396:
395:
250:Two-round system
232:
231:
61:
60:
50:
28:
27:
1448:
1447:
1443:
1442:
1441:
1439:
1438:
1437:
1408:
1407:
1406:
1405:
1395:
1393:
1384:
1383:
1379:
1367:
1363:
1351:
1347:
1335:
1331:
1315:
1311:
1302:
1301:
1297:
1287:
1285:
1276:
1275:
1271:
1261:
1259:
1250:
1249:
1245:
1233:
1229:
1223:The Public Whip
1217:
1213:
1203:
1201:
1192:
1191:
1187:
1177:
1175:
1165:
1161:
1151:
1149:
1140:
1139:
1135:
1130:
1058:
1029:
1017:
1010:
973:
961:Murray Rothbard
958:
945:Herbert Spencer
915:
894:Mitch McConnell
785:
758:
680:
642:
637:
636:
577:Ballot stuffing
563:
560:Electoral fraud
552:
551:
496:Coattail effect
487:
479:
478:
422:Tactical voting
393:
385:
384:
298:Binomial system
229:
219:
218:
97:Ballot measures
74:Absentee ballot
58:
33:Politics series
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1446:
1436:
1435:
1430:
1425:
1420:
1404:
1403:
1377:
1361:
1345:
1329:
1309:
1295:
1284:on 1 June 2011
1269:
1243:
1227:
1211:
1185:
1159:
1132:
1131:
1129:
1126:
1125:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1109:
1104:
1099:
1094:
1089:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1069:
1064:
1057:
1054:
1009:
1006:
957:
954:
914:
911:
851:Italian Senate
823:or one of its
801:United Kingdom
784:
781:
757:
754:
682:
681:
679:
678:
671:
664:
656:
653:
652:
639:
638:
633:
632:
631:
630:
625:
620:
615:
607:
606:
602:
601:
600:
599:
594:
589:
584:
579:
574:
564:
562:and prevention
558:
557:
554:
553:
548:
547:
541:
540:
539:
538:
533:
528:
523:
521:Vote splitting
518:
513:
508:
503:
498:
488:
485:
484:
481:
480:
475:
474:
473:
472:
467:
465:Refused ballot
462:
457:
452:
447:
439:
438:
432:
431:
430:
429:
424:
419:
414:
409:
404:
394:
391:
390:
387:
386:
381:
380:
379:
378:
373:
368:
363:
358:
353:
348:
343:
338:
333:
325:
324:
318:
317:
316:
315:
310:
305:
300:
295:
290:
282:
281:
275:
274:
273:
272:
270:Usual judgment
267:
265:General ticket
262:
257:
252:
247:
239:
238:
230:
225:
224:
221:
220:
215:
214:
213:
212:
210:Voting machine
207:
202:
194:
193:
187:
186:
185:
184:
179:
174:
169:
164:
159:
154:
149:
144:
139:
131:
130:
126:
125:
124:
123:
118:
113:
108:
100:
99:
89:
88:
87:
86:
81:
76:
68:
67:
59:
56:
55:
52:
51:
43:
42:
36:
35:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1445:
1434:
1433:Voting theory
1431:
1429:
1426:
1424:
1421:
1419:
1416:
1415:
1413:
1391:
1390:Werner Peters
1387:
1381:
1374:
1373:
1365:
1358:
1357:
1349:
1342:
1341:
1333:
1325:
1321:
1313:
1305:
1299:
1283:
1279:
1273:
1257:
1253:
1247:
1240:
1236:
1231:
1224:
1220:
1215:
1199:
1195:
1189:
1174:
1170:
1163:
1147:
1143:
1137:
1133:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1098:
1095:
1093:
1090:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1070:
1068:
1067:Abstentionism
1065:
1063:
1060:
1059:
1053:
1051:
1047:
1043:
1039:
1033:
1028:
1027:Werner Peters
1024:
1021:
1016:
1004:
1002:
998:
992:
990:
985:
983:
977:
972:
971:
966:
962:
953:
951:
946:
942:
938:
934:
929:
927:
924:
920:
919:non-political
913:Justification
910:
908:
904:
899:
895:
890:
886:
881:
879:
874:
872:
869:votes nor as
868:
864:
860:
856:
852:
847:
845:
841:
837:
833:
828:
826:
822:
818:
814:
810:
806:
802:
798:
797:United States
794:
790:
780:
778:
773:
771:
767:
763:
753:
751:
746:
744:
738:
736:
735:voter turnout
732:
728:
724:
720:
716:
712:
708:
704:
701:is a term in
700:
693:
688:
677:
672:
670:
665:
663:
658:
657:
655:
654:
651:
646:
641:
640:
629:
626:
624:
621:
619:
618:Secret ballot
616:
614:
611:
610:
609:
608:
604:
603:
598:
595:
593:
590:
588:
585:
583:
580:
578:
575:
573:
570:
569:
568:
567:
561:
556:
555:
546:
545:Protest votes
543:
542:
537:
536:Voter turnout
534:
532:
531:Voter fatigue
529:
527:
524:
522:
519:
517:
514:
512:
509:
507:
504:
502:
499:
497:
494:
493:
492:
491:
483:
482:
471:
468:
466:
463:
461:
458:
456:
453:
451:
448:
446:
443:
442:
441:
440:
437:
436:Protest votes
434:
433:
428:
425:
423:
420:
418:
415:
413:
410:
408:
407:Fusion voting
405:
403:
400:
399:
398:
397:
389:
388:
377:
374:
372:
369:
367:
364:
362:
359:
357:
354:
352:
349:
347:
344:
342:
339:
337:
334:
332:
329:
328:
327:
326:
323:
320:
319:
314:
311:
309:
306:
304:
301:
299:
296:
294:
291:
289:
286:
285:
284:
283:
280:
277:
276:
271:
268:
266:
263:
261:
258:
256:
253:
251:
248:
246:
243:
242:
241:
240:
237:
234:
233:
228:
223:
222:
211:
208:
206:
203:
201:
198:
197:
196:
195:
192:
189:
188:
183:
180:
178:
175:
173:
170:
168:
167:Postal voting
165:
163:
162:Polling place
160:
158:
155:
153:
150:
148:
145:
143:
140:
138:
135:
134:
133:
132:
128:
127:
122:
119:
117:
114:
112:
109:
107:
104:
103:
102:
101:
98:
94:
91:
90:
85:
84:Sample ballot
82:
80:
77:
75:
72:
71:
70:
69:
66:
63:
62:
54:
53:
49:
45:
44:
41:
38:
37:
34:
30:
29:
26:
22:
1394:. Retrieved
1389:
1380:
1371:
1364:
1355:
1348:
1339:
1332:
1323:
1312:
1298:
1286:. Retrieved
1282:the original
1272:
1260:. Retrieved
1255:
1246:
1230:
1214:
1202:. Retrieved
1197:
1188:
1176:. Retrieved
1172:
1162:
1150:. Retrieved
1145:
1136:
1117:Protest vote
1092:Non-politics
1037:
1013:
1011:
1008:Alternatives
994:
987:
979:
968:
959:
932:
930:
926:Emma Goldman
916:
882:
875:
870:
866:
862:
858:
854:
848:
843:
835:
829:
786:
774:
759:
747:
739:
727:protest vote
698:
697:
613:Election ink
597:Voter caging
506:Likely voter
444:
427:Vote pairing
402:Issue voting
200:Popular vote
182:Voting booth
147:Early voting
31:Part of the
25:
1392:(in German)
1262:5 September
1239:Lord Norton
1112:Power elite
1062:Absenteeism
1030: [
1018: [
991:responded:
963:, while an
898:Elaine Chao
795:power (the
777:spoilt vote
723:spoilt vote
587:Vote buying
470:Spoilt vote
450:Donkey vote
177:Vote center
157:Open ballot
1412:Categories
1128:References
1072:Apolitical
956:Criticisms
950:Blackstone
903:John Kerry
825:committees
719:blank vote
699:Abstention
605:Prevention
445:Abstention
313:Spare vote
303:Party-list
137:Ballot box
129:Collection
111:Electorate
93:Candidates
1418:Elections
1396:26 August
1204:9 October
1178:9 October
1152:9 October
982:Old South
923:anarchist
57:Balloting
1056:See also
733:and low
703:election
191:Counting
172:Precinct
1288:25 July
1221:– from
883:In the
876:In the
873:votes.
849:In the
830:In the
817:measure
787:In the
65:Ballots
1256:agi.it
887:, the
846:vote.
809:Russia
805:France
750:quorum
715:ballot
121:Ticket
40:Voting
1046:seats
1034:]
1022:]
974:'
937:state
813:China
205:Tally
116:Slate
1398:2022
1290:2011
1264:2022
1206:2023
1180:2023
1154:2023
811:and
793:veto
707:vote
95:and
1237:by
867:yes
859:yes
836:yes
1414::
1388:.
1322:,
1254:.
1196:.
1171:.
1144:.
1052:.
1032:de
1025:)
1020:de
943:.
928:.
871:no
863:no
855:no
844:no
807:,
803:,
799:,
745:.
737:.
1400:.
1306:.
1292:.
1266:.
1208:.
1182:.
1156:.
675:e
668:t
661:v
23:.
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