"The Society that separates its Scholars from its Warriors, will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools." Thucydides
PURPOSE: Become the Scholar Warrior for your Goals
Improve Every Single Day!
Improve Yourself 1% a Day = 3600%+ in a Year
Thought-Technique-Strategy of the Week:
Create Your Powerful Identity
Let's say you wish to excel in the art of painting. Or open your own woodworking business. Or become a Filmmaker which I did many years ago. The key is to utilize a Powerful Identity in reframing your Focus. Let's stick with painter for the moment.
Use the words: "I am a painter." The powerful use of the "I am..." phrase welds this new outlook to you mentally, intellectually but, more importantly, emotionally. Why emotionally? When you talk about painting (or any very exciting goal), then you can feel the electrical excitement within your body and Being.
"Being" is the act of existing within this newly embraced identity. Then you grow and become.
READ THE MAIN ARTICLE HERE
7 Actions To Change Your Life
TACTIC: Spoil The Vote - Ireland
TACTIC: SPOIL THE VOTE
CURRENT USE:
The Irish Presidential election was mired by the blocking of independent Irish candidates, specifically Maria Steen, by the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael ruling coalition which adheres to the EU diktats of immigration. These globalist gombeens like Micheal Martin, Simon Harris and McEntee push immigration policies which enrich themselves and their friends through IPAS (immigration) centres and destroy the very unique fabric of Ireland's indigenous people and countryside.
In one case, the football coach Sean 'Banty' McEnaney and his family pillaged Ireland for over a hundred million Euros. What a horrible scam in Ireland.
METHOD:
Spoiling ballots—intentionally marking, defacing, writing messages on, or leaving them blank to render them invalid—has been used as a low-risk form of protest in authoritarian or semi-authoritarian contexts. It allows voters to participate in mandatory or staged elections (avoiding penalties for abstention) while signaling dissatisfaction with the regime, candidates, policies, or lack of genuine choice, without directly endorsing the system.Common Methods
Defacing or extra markings — Crossing out names, drawing symbols, or adding unrelated marks.
Writing protest messages — Phrases like "killer," "thief," or names of banned opponents.
Leaving blank — Often interpreted as passive rejection, though sometimes counted separately from deliberate spoiling.
Coordinated actions — Such as queuing at specific times to spoil ballots en masse.
POLL IN IRELAND
Taken by Ireland Thinks on the spoilt the vote.
From Ireland Thinks:
Late on in the campaign Maria Steen had become the most high profile candidate who failed to get on the ballot. As such, when we asked which candidate those who spoiled their ballot would have voted for, it is perhaps unsurprising that she was by far and away the most popular choice. Indeed, as above many respondents made a specific reference to her in the open ended text.
For the indepth analysis, go to the original article above.
EXAMPLES OF SPOIL THE VOTE:
These acts highlight illegitimacy, especially when invalid votes spike significantly.Historical and Recent Examples
Peru (2000 presidential election) — Opposition candidate Alejandro Toledo withdrew, citing fraud under Alberto Fujimori's authoritarian regime, and urged supporters to spoil ballots. Around 31% of cast ballots were blank or spoiled, underscoring widespread rejection of the rigged process.
Hong Kong (2021 legislative elections) — Pro-democracy activists called for spoiled ballots or abstention to protest Beijing's overhaul of election rules, which curtailed opposition participation. The election saw record-high invalid ballots and historically low turnout, despite government efforts to criminalize incitement and boost participation.
Russia (various elections under Putin) — In tightly controlled votes, spoiling has been a subtle dissent tool. In 2012, nearly 800,000 ballots were spoiled amid fraud allegations. In the 2024 presidential election, opposition (including Alexei Navalny's team before and after his death) promoted "Noon Against Putin": voters queued at noon on the final day to spoil ballots, vote for minor candidates, or write Navalny's name. Actions included pouring dye into boxes or writing messages like "killer and thief" or references to Putin's ICC warrant. Invalid ballots rose 45% from 2018, reaching 1.4 million.
Algeria (2004 legislative elections) — Low turnout (around 35%) and 14.5% spoiled ballots among cast votes protested the military-backed regime's control.
Ecuador (under Rafael Correa's populist regime) — High spoiled ballots in municipal elections correlated with opposition to Correa's party in areas perceiving democratic erosion, distinguishing deliberate protest from accidental errors.
Other contexts — Discussions in Iran (post-2009 Green Movement) and discussions of spoiling as an alternative to risky abstention or voting for regime-approved candidates.
In authoritarian settings, spoiled ballots offer a safer alternative to street protests or boycotts, as they occur within the electoral process. High rates can embarrass regimes seeking legitimacy through turnout and unanimous results, though authorities often downplay or repress them. When coordinated and visible, they amplify dissent and draw media attention.
TACTIC: Spoil The Vote - Ireland
TACTIC: SPOIL THE VOTE
CURRENT USE:
The Irish Presidential election was mired by the blocking of independent Irish candidates, specifically Maria Steen, by the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael ruling coalition which adheres to the EU diktats of immigration. These globalist gombeens like Micheal Martin, Simon Harris and McEntee push immigration policies which enrich themselves and their friends through IPAS (immigration) centres and destroy the very unique fabric of Ireland's indigenous people and countryside.
In one case, the football coach Sean 'Banty' McEnaney and his family pillaged Ireland for over a hundred million Euros. What a horrible scam in Ireland.
METHOD:
Spoiling ballots—intentionally marking, defacing, writing messages on, or leaving them blank to render them invalid—has been used as a low-risk form of protest in authoritarian or semi-authoritarian contexts. It allows voters to participate in mandatory or staged elections (avoiding penalties for abstention) while signaling dissatisfaction with the regime, candidates, policies, or lack of genuine choice, without directly endorsing the system.Common Methods
Defacing or extra markings — Crossing out names, drawing symbols, or adding unrelated marks.
Writing protest messages — Phrases like "killer," "thief," or names of banned opponents.
Leaving blank — Often interpreted as passive rejection, though sometimes counted separately from deliberate spoiling.
Coordinated actions — Such as queuing at specific times to spoil ballots en masse.
POLL IN IRELAND
Taken by Ireland Thinks on the spoilt the vote.
From Ireland Thinks:
Late on in the campaign Maria Steen had become the most high profile candidate who failed to get on the ballot. As such, when we asked which candidate those who spoiled their ballot would have voted for, it is perhaps unsurprising that she was by far and away the most popular choice. Indeed, as above many respondents made a specific reference to her in the open ended text.
For the indepth analysis, go to the original article above.
EXAMPLES OF SPOIL THE VOTE:
These acts highlight illegitimacy, especially when invalid votes spike significantly.Historical and Recent Examples
Peru (2000 presidential election) — Opposition candidate Alejandro Toledo withdrew, citing fraud under Alberto Fujimori's authoritarian regime, and urged supporters to spoil ballots. Around 31% of cast ballots were blank or spoiled, underscoring widespread rejection of the rigged process.
Hong Kong (2021 legislative elections) — Pro-democracy activists called for spoiled ballots or abstention to protest Beijing's overhaul of election rules, which curtailed opposition participation. The election saw record-high invalid ballots and historically low turnout, despite government efforts to criminalize incitement and boost participation.
Russia (various elections under Putin) — In tightly controlled votes, spoiling has been a subtle dissent tool. In 2012, nearly 800,000 ballots were spoiled amid fraud allegations. In the 2024 presidential election, opposition (including Alexei Navalny's team before and after his death) promoted "Noon Against Putin": voters queued at noon on the final day to spoil ballots, vote for minor candidates, or write Navalny's name. Actions included pouring dye into boxes or writing messages like "killer and thief" or references to Putin's ICC warrant. Invalid ballots rose 45% from 2018, reaching 1.4 million.
Algeria (2004 legislative elections) — Low turnout (around 35%) and 14.5% spoiled ballots among cast votes protested the military-backed regime's control.
Ecuador (under Rafael Correa's populist regime) — High spoiled ballots in municipal elections correlated with opposition to Correa's party in areas perceiving democratic erosion, distinguishing deliberate protest from accidental errors.
Other contexts — Discussions in Iran (post-2009 Green Movement) and discussions of spoiling as an alternative to risky abstention or voting for regime-approved candidates.
In authoritarian settings, spoiled ballots offer a safer alternative to street protests or boycotts, as they occur within the electoral process. High rates can embarrass regimes seeking legitimacy through turnout and unanimous results, though authorities often downplay or repress them. When coordinated and visible, they amplify dissent and draw media attention.
TACTIC: Spoil The Vote - Ireland
TACTIC: SPOIL THE VOTE
CURRENT USE:
The Irish Presidential election was mired by the blocking of independent Irish candidates, specifically Maria Steen, by the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael ruling coalition which adheres to the EU diktats of immigration. These globalist gombeens like Micheal Martin, Simon Harris and McEntee push immigration policies which enrich themselves and their friends through IPAS (immigration) centres and destroy the very unique fabric of Ireland's indigenous people and countryside.
In one case, the football coach Sean 'Banty' McEnaney and his family pillaged Ireland for over a hundred million Euros. What a horrible scam in Ireland.
METHOD:
Spoiling ballots—intentionally marking, defacing, writing messages on, or leaving them blank to render them invalid—has been used as a low-risk form of protest in authoritarian or semi-authoritarian contexts. It allows voters to participate in mandatory or staged elections (avoiding penalties for abstention) while signaling dissatisfaction with the regime, candidates, policies, or lack of genuine choice, without directly endorsing the system.Common Methods
Defacing or extra markings — Crossing out names, drawing symbols, or adding unrelated marks.
Writing protest messages — Phrases like "killer," "thief," or names of banned opponents.
Leaving blank — Often interpreted as passive rejection, though sometimes counted separately from deliberate spoiling.
Coordinated actions — Such as queuing at specific times to spoil ballots en masse.
POLL IN IRELAND
Taken by Ireland Thinks on the spoilt the vote.
From Ireland Thinks:
Late on in the campaign Maria Steen had become the most high profile candidate who failed to get on the ballot. As such, when we asked which candidate those who spoiled their ballot would have voted for, it is perhaps unsurprising that she was by far and away the most popular choice. Indeed, as above many respondents made a specific reference to her in the open ended text.
For the indepth analysis, go to the original article above.
EXAMPLES OF SPOIL THE VOTE:
These acts highlight illegitimacy, especially when invalid votes spike significantly.Historical and Recent Examples
Peru (2000 presidential election) — Opposition candidate Alejandro Toledo withdrew, citing fraud under Alberto Fujimori's authoritarian regime, and urged supporters to spoil ballots. Around 31% of cast ballots were blank or spoiled, underscoring widespread rejection of the rigged process.
Hong Kong (2021 legislative elections) — Pro-democracy activists called for spoiled ballots or abstention to protest Beijing's overhaul of election rules, which curtailed opposition participation. The election saw record-high invalid ballots and historically low turnout, despite government efforts to criminalize incitement and boost participation.
Russia (various elections under Putin) — In tightly controlled votes, spoiling has been a subtle dissent tool. In 2012, nearly 800,000 ballots were spoiled amid fraud allegations. In the 2024 presidential election, opposition (including Alexei Navalny's team before and after his death) promoted "Noon Against Putin": voters queued at noon on the final day to spoil ballots, vote for minor candidates, or write Navalny's name. Actions included pouring dye into boxes or writing messages like "killer and thief" or references to Putin's ICC warrant. Invalid ballots rose 45% from 2018, reaching 1.4 million.
Algeria (2004 legislative elections) — Low turnout (around 35%) and 14.5% spoiled ballots among cast votes protested the military-backed regime's control.
Ecuador (under Rafael Correa's populist regime) — High spoiled ballots in municipal elections correlated with opposition to Correa's party in areas perceiving democratic erosion, distinguishing deliberate protest from accidental errors.
Other contexts — Discussions in Iran (post-2009 Green Movement) and discussions of spoiling as an alternative to risky abstention or voting for regime-approved candidates.
In authoritarian settings, spoiled ballots offer a safer alternative to street protests or boycotts, as they occur within the electoral process. High rates can embarrass regimes seeking legitimacy through turnout and unanimous results, though authorities often downplay or repress them. When coordinated and visible, they amplify dissent and draw media attention.
TACTIC: Spoil The Vote - Ireland
TACTIC: SPOIL THE VOTE
CURRENT USE:
The Irish Presidential election was mired by the blocking of independent Irish candidates, specifically Maria Steen, by the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael ruling coalition which adheres to the EU diktats of immigration. These globalist gombeens like Micheal Martin, Simon Harris and McEntee push immigration policies which enrich themselves and their friends through IPAS (immigration) centres and destroy the very unique fabric of Ireland's indigenous people and countryside.
In one case, the football coach Sean 'Banty' McEnaney and his family pillaged Ireland for over a hundred million Euros. What a horrible scam in Ireland.
METHOD:
Spoiling ballots—intentionally marking, defacing, writing messages on, or leaving them blank to render them invalid—has been used as a low-risk form of protest in authoritarian or semi-authoritarian contexts. It allows voters to participate in mandatory or staged elections (avoiding penalties for abstention) while signaling dissatisfaction with the regime, candidates, policies, or lack of genuine choice, without directly endorsing the system.Common Methods
Defacing or extra markings — Crossing out names, drawing symbols, or adding unrelated marks.
Writing protest messages — Phrases like "killer," "thief," or names of banned opponents.
Leaving blank — Often interpreted as passive rejection, though sometimes counted separately from deliberate spoiling.
Coordinated actions — Such as queuing at specific times to spoil ballots en masse.
POLL IN IRELAND
Taken by Ireland Thinks on the spoilt the vote.
From Ireland Thinks:
Late on in the campaign Maria Steen had become the most high profile candidate who failed to get on the ballot. As such, when we asked which candidate those who spoiled their ballot would have voted for, it is perhaps unsurprising that she was by far and away the most popular choice. Indeed, as above many respondents made a specific reference to her in the open ended text.
For the indepth analysis, go to the original article above.
EXAMPLES OF SPOIL THE VOTE:
These acts highlight illegitimacy, especially when invalid votes spike significantly.Historical and Recent Examples
Peru (2000 presidential election) — Opposition candidate Alejandro Toledo withdrew, citing fraud under Alberto Fujimori's authoritarian regime, and urged supporters to spoil ballots. Around 31% of cast ballots were blank or spoiled, underscoring widespread rejection of the rigged process.
Hong Kong (2021 legislative elections) — Pro-democracy activists called for spoiled ballots or abstention to protest Beijing's overhaul of election rules, which curtailed opposition participation. The election saw record-high invalid ballots and historically low turnout, despite government efforts to criminalize incitement and boost participation.
Russia (various elections under Putin) — In tightly controlled votes, spoiling has been a subtle dissent tool. In 2012, nearly 800,000 ballots were spoiled amid fraud allegations. In the 2024 presidential election, opposition (including Alexei Navalny's team before and after his death) promoted "Noon Against Putin": voters queued at noon on the final day to spoil ballots, vote for minor candidates, or write Navalny's name. Actions included pouring dye into boxes or writing messages like "killer and thief" or references to Putin's ICC warrant. Invalid ballots rose 45% from 2018, reaching 1.4 million.
Algeria (2004 legislative elections) — Low turnout (around 35%) and 14.5% spoiled ballots among cast votes protested the military-backed regime's control.
Ecuador (under Rafael Correa's populist regime) — High spoiled ballots in municipal elections correlated with opposition to Correa's party in areas perceiving democratic erosion, distinguishing deliberate protest from accidental errors.
Other contexts — Discussions in Iran (post-2009 Green Movement) and discussions of spoiling as an alternative to risky abstention or voting for regime-approved candidates.
In authoritarian settings, spoiled ballots offer a safer alternative to street protests or boycotts, as they occur within the electoral process. High rates can embarrass regimes seeking legitimacy through turnout and unanimous results, though authorities often downplay or repress them. When coordinated and visible, they amplify dissent and draw media attention.
TACTIC: Spoil The Vote - Ireland
TACTIC: SPOIL THE VOTE
CURRENT USE:
The Irish Presidential election was mired by the blocking of independent Irish candidates, specifically Maria Steen, by the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael ruling coalition which adheres to the EU diktats of immigration. These globalist gombeens like Micheal Martin, Simon Harris and McEntee push immigration policies which enrich themselves and their friends through IPAS (immigration) centres and destroy the very unique fabric of Ireland's indigenous people and countryside.
In one case, the football coach Sean 'Banty' McEnaney and his family pillaged Ireland for over a hundred million Euros. What a horrible scam in Ireland.
METHOD:
Spoiling ballots—intentionally marking, defacing, writing messages on, or leaving them blank to render them invalid—has been used as a low-risk form of protest in authoritarian or semi-authoritarian contexts. It allows voters to participate in mandatory or staged elections (avoiding penalties for abstention) while signaling dissatisfaction with the regime, candidates, policies, or lack of genuine choice, without directly endorsing the system.Common Methods
Defacing or extra markings — Crossing out names, drawing symbols, or adding unrelated marks.
Writing protest messages — Phrases like "killer," "thief," or names of banned opponents.
Leaving blank — Often interpreted as passive rejection, though sometimes counted separately from deliberate spoiling.
Coordinated actions — Such as queuing at specific times to spoil ballots en masse.
POLL IN IRELAND
Taken by Ireland Thinks on the spoilt the vote.
From Ireland Thinks:
Late on in the campaign Maria Steen had become the most high profile candidate who failed to get on the ballot. As such, when we asked which candidate those who spoiled their ballot would have voted for, it is perhaps unsurprising that she was by far and away the most popular choice. Indeed, as above many respondents made a specific reference to her in the open ended text.
For the indepth analysis, go to the original article above.
EXAMPLES OF SPOIL THE VOTE:
These acts highlight illegitimacy, especially when invalid votes spike significantly.Historical and Recent Examples
Peru (2000 presidential election) — Opposition candidate Alejandro Toledo withdrew, citing fraud under Alberto Fujimori's authoritarian regime, and urged supporters to spoil ballots. Around 31% of cast ballots were blank or spoiled, underscoring widespread rejection of the rigged process.
Hong Kong (2021 legislative elections) — Pro-democracy activists called for spoiled ballots or abstention to protest Beijing's overhaul of election rules, which curtailed opposition participation. The election saw record-high invalid ballots and historically low turnout, despite government efforts to criminalize incitement and boost participation.
Russia (various elections under Putin) — In tightly controlled votes, spoiling has been a subtle dissent tool. In 2012, nearly 800,000 ballots were spoiled amid fraud allegations. In the 2024 presidential election, opposition (including Alexei Navalny's team before and after his death) promoted "Noon Against Putin": voters queued at noon on the final day to spoil ballots, vote for minor candidates, or write Navalny's name. Actions included pouring dye into boxes or writing messages like "killer and thief" or references to Putin's ICC warrant. Invalid ballots rose 45% from 2018, reaching 1.4 million.
Algeria (2004 legislative elections) — Low turnout (around 35%) and 14.5% spoiled ballots among cast votes protested the military-backed regime's control.
Ecuador (under Rafael Correa's populist regime) — High spoiled ballots in municipal elections correlated with opposition to Correa's party in areas perceiving democratic erosion, distinguishing deliberate protest from accidental errors.
Other contexts — Discussions in Iran (post-2009 Green Movement) and discussions of spoiling as an alternative to risky abstention or voting for regime-approved candidates.
In authoritarian settings, spoiled ballots offer a safer alternative to street protests or boycotts, as they occur within the electoral process. High rates can embarrass regimes seeking legitimacy through turnout and unanimous results, though authorities often downplay or repress them. When coordinated and visible, they amplify dissent and draw media attention.
TACTIC: Spoil The Vote - Ireland
TACTIC: SPOIL THE VOTE
CURRENT USE:
The Irish Presidential election was mired by the blocking of independent Irish candidates, specifically Maria Steen, by the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael ruling coalition which adheres to the EU diktats of immigration. These globalist gombeens like Micheal Martin, Simon Harris and McEntee push immigration policies which enrich themselves and their friends through IPAS (immigration) centres and destroy the very unique fabric of Ireland's indigenous people and countryside.
In one case, the football coach Sean 'Banty' McEnaney and his family pillaged Ireland for over a hundred million Euros. What a horrible scam in Ireland.
METHOD:
Spoiling ballots—intentionally marking, defacing, writing messages on, or leaving them blank to render them invalid—has been used as a low-risk form of protest in authoritarian or semi-authoritarian contexts. It allows voters to participate in mandatory or staged elections (avoiding penalties for abstention) while signaling dissatisfaction with the regime, candidates, policies, or lack of genuine choice, without directly endorsing the system.Common Methods
Defacing or extra markings — Crossing out names, drawing symbols, or adding unrelated marks.
Writing protest messages — Phrases like "killer," "thief," or names of banned opponents.
Leaving blank — Often interpreted as passive rejection, though sometimes counted separately from deliberate spoiling.
Coordinated actions — Such as queuing at specific times to spoil ballots en masse.
POLL IN IRELAND
Taken by Ireland Thinks on the spoilt the vote.
From Ireland Thinks:
Late on in the campaign Maria Steen had become the most high profile candidate who failed to get on the ballot. As such, when we asked which candidate those who spoiled their ballot would have voted for, it is perhaps unsurprising that she was by far and away the most popular choice. Indeed, as above many respondents made a specific reference to her in the open ended text.
For the indepth analysis, go to the original article above.
EXAMPLES OF SPOIL THE VOTE:
These acts highlight illegitimacy, especially when invalid votes spike significantly.Historical and Recent Examples
Peru (2000 presidential election) — Opposition candidate Alejandro Toledo withdrew, citing fraud under Alberto Fujimori's authoritarian regime, and urged supporters to spoil ballots. Around 31% of cast ballots were blank or spoiled, underscoring widespread rejection of the rigged process.
Hong Kong (2021 legislative elections) — Pro-democracy activists called for spoiled ballots or abstention to protest Beijing's overhaul of election rules, which curtailed opposition participation. The election saw record-high invalid ballots and historically low turnout, despite government efforts to criminalize incitement and boost participation.
Russia (various elections under Putin) — In tightly controlled votes, spoiling has been a subtle dissent tool. In 2012, nearly 800,000 ballots were spoiled amid fraud allegations. In the 2024 presidential election, opposition (including Alexei Navalny's team before and after his death) promoted "Noon Against Putin": voters queued at noon on the final day to spoil ballots, vote for minor candidates, or write Navalny's name. Actions included pouring dye into boxes or writing messages like "killer and thief" or references to Putin's ICC warrant. Invalid ballots rose 45% from 2018, reaching 1.4 million.
Algeria (2004 legislative elections) — Low turnout (around 35%) and 14.5% spoiled ballots among cast votes protested the military-backed regime's control.
Ecuador (under Rafael Correa's populist regime) — High spoiled ballots in municipal elections correlated with opposition to Correa's party in areas perceiving democratic erosion, distinguishing deliberate protest from accidental errors.
Other contexts — Discussions in Iran (post-2009 Green Movement) and discussions of spoiling as an alternative to risky abstention or voting for regime-approved candidates.
In authoritarian settings, spoiled ballots offer a safer alternative to street protests or boycotts, as they occur within the electoral process. High rates can embarrass regimes seeking legitimacy through turnout and unanimous results, though authorities often downplay or repress them. When coordinated and visible, they amplify dissent and draw media attention.
TACTIC: Spoil The Vote - Ireland
TACTIC: SPOIL THE VOTE
CURRENT USE:
The Irish Presidential election was mired by the blocking of independent Irish candidates, specifically Maria Steen, by the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael ruling coalition which adheres to the EU diktats of immigration. These globalist gombeens like Micheal Martin, Simon Harris and McEntee push immigration policies which enrich themselves and their friends through IPAS (immigration) centres and destroy the very unique fabric of Ireland's indigenous people and countryside.
In one case, the football coach Sean 'Banty' McEnaney and his family pillaged Ireland for over a hundred million Euros. What a horrible scam in Ireland.
METHOD:
Spoiling ballots—intentionally marking, defacing, writing messages on, or leaving them blank to render them invalid—has been used as a low-risk form of protest in authoritarian or semi-authoritarian contexts. It allows voters to participate in mandatory or staged elections (avoiding penalties for abstention) while signaling dissatisfaction with the regime, candidates, policies, or lack of genuine choice, without directly endorsing the system.Common Methods
Defacing or extra markings — Crossing out names, drawing symbols, or adding unrelated marks.
Writing protest messages — Phrases like "killer," "thief," or names of banned opponents.
Leaving blank — Often interpreted as passive rejection, though sometimes counted separately from deliberate spoiling.
Coordinated actions — Such as queuing at specific times to spoil ballots en masse.
POLL IN IRELAND
Taken by Ireland Thinks on the spoilt the vote.
From Ireland Thinks:
Late on in the campaign Maria Steen had become the most high profile candidate who failed to get on the ballot. As such, when we asked which candidate those who spoiled their ballot would have voted for, it is perhaps unsurprising that she was by far and away the most popular choice. Indeed, as above many respondents made a specific reference to her in the open ended text.
For the indepth analysis, go to the original article above.
EXAMPLES OF SPOIL THE VOTE:
These acts highlight illegitimacy, especially when invalid votes spike significantly.Historical and Recent Examples
Peru (2000 presidential election) — Opposition candidate Alejandro Toledo withdrew, citing fraud under Alberto Fujimori's authoritarian regime, and urged supporters to spoil ballots. Around 31% of cast ballots were blank or spoiled, underscoring widespread rejection of the rigged process.
Hong Kong (2021 legislative elections) — Pro-democracy activists called for spoiled ballots or abstention to protest Beijing's overhaul of election rules, which curtailed opposition participation. The election saw record-high invalid ballots and historically low turnout, despite government efforts to criminalize incitement and boost participation.
Russia (various elections under Putin) — In tightly controlled votes, spoiling has been a subtle dissent tool. In 2012, nearly 800,000 ballots were spoiled amid fraud allegations. In the 2024 presidential election, opposition (including Alexei Navalny's team before and after his death) promoted "Noon Against Putin": voters queued at noon on the final day to spoil ballots, vote for minor candidates, or write Navalny's name. Actions included pouring dye into boxes or writing messages like "killer and thief" or references to Putin's ICC warrant. Invalid ballots rose 45% from 2018, reaching 1.4 million.
Algeria (2004 legislative elections) — Low turnout (around 35%) and 14.5% spoiled ballots among cast votes protested the military-backed regime's control.
Ecuador (under Rafael Correa's populist regime) — High spoiled ballots in municipal elections correlated with opposition to Correa's party in areas perceiving democratic erosion, distinguishing deliberate protest from accidental errors.
Other contexts — Discussions in Iran (post-2009 Green Movement) and discussions of spoiling as an alternative to risky abstention or voting for regime-approved candidates.
In authoritarian settings, spoiled ballots offer a safer alternative to street protests or boycotts, as they occur within the electoral process. High rates can embarrass regimes seeking legitimacy through turnout and unanimous results, though authorities often downplay or repress them. When coordinated and visible, they amplify dissent and draw media attention.
Take Action Today!
SCHOLAR WARRIOR WAY - COURSE
Scholar Warrior Way
Take Action to Transform Yourself
By taking the Scholar Warrior Way Course, you will get Michael's program for Self-Improvement in his pursuit of Creative Excellence in Writing, Filmmaking, Martial arts and his other pursuits from his major curious outlook. Here are the 7 Steps that he uses....
Powerful Why - the Key to Enthusiasm and Fulfillment
Scholar Warrior Identity - Embracing the new Mentality - now!
Your Morning Routine - Starting the day Right.
Brainstorming Your How - Strategy thinking and tactics
Create Your Own Systems - Become efficient with predictable results
Building Transforming Habits - Habit creates Destiny
The Art of Sleep - Long ignored but a necessary health break.
FAQS
What is The Purpose of the "ScholarWarriorWay" ?
By engaging in the mental perspective of the Scholar Warrior, you embrace two aspects of your life: The Scholar with a constant focus on self-development and self-improvement. The Warrior whereby you learn techniques about courage, action and derring-do to achieve your true authentic goals for a fulfilled life.
How much does Scholar Warrior Way cost?
The cost of could be absolutely no money if you just want to get on our newsletter to read the various articles on the website. If you want to take the courses on various levels, then you might spend $200-300 per year. Think of it this way: If you could improve yourself 100-200-300-1000-3600% in a single year, then how much is it worth? The price of two meals and drinks at a restaurant that you'll never remember? Make a better life choice.
How do I know I work with the ScholarWarriorWay?
ScholarWarriorWay is broken down into 7 Major Strategies. You can pick one and work on it for a few weeks, then add another strategies. They start with the Powerful Why and end with the Art of Sleep.
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