Conscientious election objection

It’s long been said that the youth don’t vote out of apathy but for some young people the choice to abstain comes from a more thought-out position.

Twenty year-old Ravi Prasad won’t be heading to the booth this month but says it is not out of disinterest or indifference.

“There’s a difference between apathy and not being involved,” he said. “There are other ways to make your voice heard like activism.”

Prasad acknowledged the extremity of vandalism but said sometimes illegal means are appropriate.

“Look at hacktivism – we know so much more because of Wikileaks. In the digital age we have so many more resources to collectivise.”

Prasad said that like clicktivism, the act of signing petitions and sharing posts online, voting gave people an excuse not to take part in active means.

“You just have to look at the voting slogans; ‘vote or you won’t have a say.’ It excludes other ways of being heard,” he said.

Prasad said a strong far-left party could potentially get his vote in the future but that squabbling amongst parties prevented a united front.

“That’s the problem on the left, infighting before ideas,” he said. “There’s no unity on the left, most non-voters are leftists.”

Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei impresses him the most.

“She actually spent a lot of time with anarchists,” he said, “And there’s no anarchy without socialism.”

Regardless, Prasad said election results are  inconsequential.

“I just think the relationship to policy isn’t as close as direct action.

“Politics is not the best way to make decisions and not voting is a statement about moving away from that model.”