There's an exciting election coming up over here in the UK. I'm not sure if I'll vote because I honestly don't feel I know enough about the key issues. I wouldn't want to vote on which medication should be used for which illness, because I'm not a doctor. Equally, I don't feel able to choose between policies on defence, the economy or foreign policy because I lack expertise in these areas too - areas where making the wrong decisions have arguably greater consequences than medicine. One might say I have a responsibility to learn about these issues, but I would respond by pointing out that that's why we have experts! I'm also not convinced that choosing not to vote is somehow offensive to people who fought for my right to vote (I don't want to give up my right, I just don't want to exercise it) or that it's a dereliction of some duty that goes with being a civilian. The way I see it choosing not to vote because I recognise my ignorance is the right thing to do - particularly when the three main parties all consist of reasonably sensible and decent people and there is no risk of someone truly awful getting in. I expect all main parties consist of people with a high capacity for decision-making on the basis of evidence and reason. Choosing between what they have decided - as reflected by their policies - is beyond me. I don't think most people in our country understand the issues to the required level of depth. I don't see how adding in my ill-informed tuppence is going to resolve this! I expect I don't even know enough about the issues involved in choosing whether to vote or not - I'd be grateful for any advice or corrections to my reasoning!