Online union voting is a democratic process in which workers vote for the representatives who will bargain on their behalf. These reps are incredibly important because they give workers a say in how their workplace is run. Unions play an important role in protecting workers' rights and ensuring that they're treated fairly.
Sometimes, though, workers may not want to vote for either of the candidates (or options) on the ballot. In cases like these, they can choose to abstain from voting. By definition, an abstain vote is an empty vote, which means that the individual who casts this vote neither supports nor opposes the candidate or motion being voted upon. Now, there are two types of abstain votes. These are:
Active abstention is when a voter shows up on the voting day and ticks on abstain vote on the ballot paper. If there's no such option, they may cast their vote for a stance or candidate who is not listed. In this way, they've cast their vote, but it doesn't count.
At other times, they can refuse to cast any vote at all. In this case, they vocalize their reason for not casting a vote. Throughout this process, the voter must not deflect from their promises and responsibilities towards the organization.
On the contrary, passive abstaining voting is when the individual refuses to show up on voting day. They may not participate at all, leaving it upon the rest of the election participants to interpret their absence.
When counting abstain votes, governing bodies should ensure that they do not impact the overall voting result. It is incorrect to count an abstained vote as a ‘yes’ or a ‘no.’ To understand this better, imagine your organization's internal employee union is planning for a strike. For the strike to come into effect, union members must cast their votes and validate the idea. The motion receives the following votes:
The motion passes and the strike comes into effect since the majority voted ‘yes.’ However, what if the votes were as follows?
In this case, the union strike does not come into effect because there's a draw. The majority does not give a go-ahead for the motion. It is essential to note that the implementation and perception of an abstain vote greatly depend on the rules being followed. The law does not define how to count abstain votes, so it depends on the framework your organization follows and any custom rules you've set up to follow.
For example, if a seven-member council voted three ‘yes,’ one ‘no,’ and three abstentions to pass an ordinance, the ordinance does not pass. This is because the law may require at least four members in a seven-member council to vote ‘yes’ to pass an ordinance. So, despite having three affirmatives, the ordinance fails because the voting result does not satisfy set rules.
Whether it's a political body or a student union, members may choose to cast an abstain vote for a variety of reasons. Usually, the voter doesn't need to specify their reason to abstain, but for better elections and good governance, it is a good idea to inquire and understand their choice.
The following are some common reasons why people may choose to abstain from their votes:
No–if voters cast abstain votes, they are still participating in the election. But if voters choose to recuse themselves, they are not participating in the elections, which is unacceptable if they are a member of an organization, union, management, or political body. Recusal represents disinterest or irreconcilable conflict with the majority.
For more helpful information on modern union elections, be sure to check out our post on what the role of technology is in today’s voting processes.
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