Replace the entitlement of the vote with having to earn it by passing a test on the main policies and leaders of the five main parties.
This test would be created by a forcibly independent body, consisting of members chosen at random - like for jury service - each election year.

The ballot would be adjusted to include a "None of the above" option.

Anyone who is swayed by whether or not a politician smiles very much, or how good their hair is, should not be able to vote.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Thu 22 Sep 2011, 13:59, 9 replies)

Can we add a rudimentary grip of economics to the requirements? That way we can make sure that voters understand that perpetually running a deficit is not actually an option available to us.

But it gets my vote.
( Draconacticus Reject shampoo. Demand real poo!, Thu 22 Sep 2011, 14:04, closed)

5 main parties?
What country are you from?
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Thu 22 Sep 2011, 14:04, closed)

Assuming its UK
you have:
Labour
Tories
Lib Dem
SNP
Plaid Cymru
(Bonzodog29 is an unemployed sponge of the worst kind, Thu 22 Sep 2011, 14:14, closed)

I only count 2, in that list.
At least you didn't mention the Greens.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Thu 22 Sep 2011, 14:23, closed)

I think he's talking about the UK
Not just England.
(StapMyVitals wouldn't mind a bit of that, Sat 24 Sep 2011, 1:04, closed)

The Tories, Labour, The Lib Dems...
Plaid Cymru and the SNP makes five... and Sinn Fein makes six if you count Norn Iron politics too.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Wed 28 Sep 2011, 16:11, closed)

A 'none of the above' vote would..er..get my vote
Many times I stood in the ballet booth choosing the lesser of two evils when actually I want none of them but didn't want to add to the 'couldn't be bothered to vote' statistics.
If there's been that option last general election there would have had to be a do-over for sure.
( NobbyNobody 21 years a b3tan, Fri 23 Sep 2011, 7:34, closed)

Then vote for the smaller parties
If none of the main ones float your boat. Do some research into which parties have entered candidates in your constituency and there will almost certainly be at least one "minor" party represented with whose core policies you agree. It's better than voting Tory/Labour/Etc, who are now practically all the same.
(EuroSong I love horse meat: best of all the animals, Mon 26 Sep 2011, 16:14, closed)

I agree.

I imagine you wouldn't even have to make the test very difficult. 'Which one is the blue party?' might do for a fair few.
(lost_jonson, Fri 23 Sep 2011, 11:16, closed)