Votes against

Hugh McLachlan's clear logic about voting being a matter of choice (Opinion, 5 May) is a welcome oasis in the emotional desert of political persuasion.

Before the 2005 election, the East Lothian Labour Party voted to deselect their sitting member, who was foisted on them nevertheless. Compulsory voting would therefore offer Labour supporters a choice of either a candidate or a party they didn't favour.

Prof McLachlan correctly dismisses the notion of voting because others fought for the right, and he might have included the argument that failure to vote disqualifies us from later criticising government action. What about broken manifesto policies?

For voting to become compulsory it would first have to be defined. A paper spoiled, whether or not deliberately, is not a vote cast, and compulsion might imply that such an error should be pointed out to allow correction.

I believe we should be able to vote against an undesired candidate, with such votes subtracted from those gained.

ROBERT DOW

Ormiston Road

Tranent