I was brought up that it is important to vote and a real priviledge. When I was old enough to vote in the general election for the first time I couldn't wait to get to the polling booth.By making my vote,I would be having my say in which party would be the government.
Well,that was then and this is now. The difference between the two major parties is minimal and neither of them have my support.
It seems to me that the current government has not got the country's best interests at heart. They even have no regard for the very planet on which we live.Do they have any regard for what the voters want? Is voting still the peoples voice?

Gigglebyte, like you I always felt I should vote,but the system that allows people to be in Parliament without being voted in is not democratic as far as I'm concerned, there is no way you can get rid of them, so wrong.

Young people have said to me that they don't think that they'll bother to vote. They are very cynical about politics in some ways. So painfully naive in others..........

I 'm afraid that voting is not the people's voice any more. Governments don't seem to take much notice of what the people do and don't want. The list M.P's dont seem to be very useful.But one local list M.P is acting as if he is the elected M.P. I find that irritating and he represents a party I definitely wouldn't vote for.

I have always taken voting seriously. I think it is a privilege to be able to vote and I'm shocked and dismayed that many people, young and age, can't be bothered and don't vote.

I always weigh up the pros-and-cons before deciding who to vote for but since MMP it has become harder.

Wheeling and dealing with political parties that don't even have the same ideals, conceding important issues to stay in power and un-elected people slipping into parliament and ruling over one isn't right to me!

I now believe that binding referrenda should become law, even if we vote on several issues at each election (or set time) to limit the cost.

Going back to Muldoon's day petitions with hundreds of thousands of signatures have been dismissed without consideration. This is not right. The minor parties are beginning to rule the masses. The tail is wagging the dog.

Helen Clark said she would review MMP and didn't. John Key said he would review MMP, has begun to do so, but has cunningly spread the review over 3 elections knowing full well that by 2014 the younger generations will have gotten used to the MMP style of government and will vote for no change.

I've never been inside the `beehive' but if I do I really want to see the neon-sign that points the way to the `trough' that all MPs seem to stick their snouts in at some point in time.