Things Noticeable this week

[haldane4]

A visiting Kenyan election observer was appalled by the fact that polling station staff did not work shifts and had a 15 hour day on election day. Sweatshop Britain strikes again - if you cut costs organisation suffers.

[Mad Koala Bear]

Originally Posted by scoundrel

Turning up at 9.45pm was not particularly clever, granted, it has always been my own custom to vote first thing in the morning. However the opening hours are stated as 7am to 10pm and I think this turning away of registered voters who showed up before the closing hour reflects really badly on the UK. No way should anyone who arrives before the stated closing time be denied their vote..

Too true. It isn't a requirement of the voter to turn up when its convenient for the authorities. It is for the electoral officials to put nothing in the way of those that wish to vote whatever time they turn up during the opening hours.

[chupachups]

Originally Posted by marlon

That is more or less what should have happened. The queue should have been closed and moved into the hall/room and the door closed. The poll should then have remained open util those votes had been taken.

I think the people in lewisham took the initiative and did this, issuing voting slips and herding people into a crowded hall before the 10pm cutoff

I watched the election live, and at first there was a fear that lewisham had done something illegal by allowing voting to continue until 10:30, but as it turned out they deserved a big pat on the back

There was also some blame attached to students that unexpectedly turned up at some places without their voting cards and caused a backlog. If that happened to me and I didn't get to vote, I would have been so angry. I know many people have the "right" to vote, but a bunch of people that didn't have to go to work earlier in the day, have contributed little so far to the country and that couldn't get their act together with their voting card (or maybe even deliberately obstructing to make a political gesture) shouldn't have been allowed to cause a delay to others that had their act together. I personally would have put them into a separate queue and assigned only one person to deal with those without full documentation

[chupachups]

I am still chuckling to myself regarding "smacked arse", it really has made my weekend

LOL

[Puhbear69]

In case of the closed polling location I've two questions:

Why do English vote on a weekday?

Can't you vote by letter (maybe some have a longer trip to work and back home)?

BTW: I can't remember I had ever to queue up at the polling location. Just even had to wait a few minutes (<5) at the voting room.

[marlon]

Originally Posted by chupachups

There was also some blame attached to students that unexpectedly turned up at some places without their voting cards and caused a backlog.

I heard it that one used on television as well - it is total bull.

The voting card isn't anything of the sort, it is simply a notification that you are on the electoral roll, confirms which constituency/ward you will be voting in and where the poll will take place. The staff aren't meant to accept it as an ID, they are meant to ask you your address, then name - in that order - then the number next to your name is written on the slip of your actual voting paper (so it can be traced in accusations of fraud or spoiled papers - which is an offence - so don't think it is a secret vote) and your name is then crossed off the list as having voted. It's not rocket science, but it has worked that way for so long because it works and offers as much security as can be expected with so many voting. The real reason is probably that most local authourities tried cutting costs by reducing the number of polling stations, without realising that the turnout would be bigger than usual.

Originally Posted by Puhbear69

In case of the closed polling location I've two questions:

Why do English vote on a weekday?

Convention is that all elections take place on a Thursday. Tradition appears the only reason.

Originally Posted by Puhbear69

Can't you vote by letter (maybe some have a longer trip to work and back home)?

Yes you can, but you have to request to do so and because it has been open to so much abuse/fraud, permission to do so is likely to become restricted.

[Puhbear69]

Originally Posted by marlon

[...]


Convention is that all elections take place on a Thursday. Tradition appears the only reason.



Yes you can, but you have to request to do so and because it has been open to so much abuse/fraud, permission to do so is likely to become restricted.

It's a silly convention, if one - possibly - has to take a day off because of a poll. :headshaking:

We have to request too, that's OK. It must be possible to organisate this in a industrial country without any abuse or fraud.
And the authorities have to accept that, if one is absent that day. No further justification; absent - basta!

[palo5]

Originally Posted by Puhbear69

Why do English vote on a weekday?

I already asked this. They said everything is faster on Thursdays, but I can't remember why

[marlon]

Originally Posted by Puhbear69

It's a silly convention, if one - possibly - has to take a day off because of a poll. :headshaking:

You don't have to take a day off work. The polling stations are usually within a close radius of your home address, the idea is that you go before or after work. The polls open at 7am and stay open until 10pm to help facilitate this.

[Devius]

Originally Posted by marlon

Convention is that all elections take place on a Thursday. Tradition appears the only reason.

Funny that - office parties are usually held on Thursdays too....