Protest is perceived as an unconventional form of action as it induces irregular forms of political behaviour, which breaches routine and creates political pressure. The same applies to intentional submitting of invalid ballots. Electoral participation is a basic form of conventional political participation, however submitting an invalid ballot is an unconventional action. In my dissertation, I studied the purpose of submitting invalid ballot papers and their content by researching existing sources and analysing the pattern of invalid ballots from the 2017 presidential election in Slovenia. The analysis showed that the majority of the invalid ballots were submitted intentionally, and that this action is a type of political stance for some voters. Most ballots, which have writings and doodles on them, express dissatisfaction, especially with the choice of candidates. Some ballots can be offensive and cynical as a result of anonymity. Most ballots with writings and doodles are a sign of protest; however the protest is hidden and quiet as its content does not reach the public and the decision makers.
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