Voting Without Polling Card Options

[NWNREADER]

Having read the information on tellers, I can confidently say that the Conservative Party have broken the rules in my ward. Still, the Conservative Party shouldn't worry, it's not as if the council will enforce the rules!!!

The Party, or a candidate?

[Richard Garvie]

The Party, or a candidate?

The actual candidate. Sitting in the doorway, acting as a teller,telling people he didn't canvass them as he knew he could count on there support. It was only after what happened at the Waterside that our vice chair was telling me what was and wasn't legal, hence me asking the question on here to see what the defenders of the realm had to say

So many rules appear to be broken, and I will share once I have proof to back that statement up. But we know people were turned away at the Waterside (the council are now denying this), what's happened in Speen and if yopu send me your email address, I will send you information that proves David Betts broke purdah. If you don't want to give away who you are, go onto Gmail and set up a free account. Takes 30 seconds and pm me the address and I will forward the details to you.

[NWNREADER]

The actual candidate. Sitting in the doorway, acting as a teller,telling people he didn't canvass them as he knew he could count on there support. It was only after what happened at the Waterside that our vice chair was telling me what was and wasn't legal, hence me asking the question on here to see what the defenders of the realm had to say
So why say 'Party' if it was only an individual - albeit one under the umbrella of that Party? Basically there is no extra detail from what you said earlier, but by changing the allegation to 'Party' I feel you are trying to alter the extent of your complaint.

So many rules appear to be broken, and I will share once I have proof to back that statement up. But we know people were turned away at the Waterside (the council are now denying this), what's happened in Speen and if yopu send me your email address, I will send you information that proves David Betts broke purdah. If you don't want to give away who you are, go onto Gmail and set up a free account. Takes 30 seconds and pm me the address and I will forward the details to you.
I find your enthusiasm for 'private' communication of what you open in a public forum rather odd. Even if I did enter into such a communication (I won't) I would publish what you passed me.

[Jayjay]

Having read the information on tellers, I can confidently say that the Conservative Party have broken the rules in my ward. Still, the Conservative Party shouldn't worry, it's not as if the council will enforce the rules!!!

Until recently we used to have a Police officer at each polling station to ensure the rules were upheld.

[GMR]

I have flip-flopped according the the circumstances. I voted Lib Dem in the '97 General and Tory at the previous Local, but not any more. I will not vote for either Locally now. They are too similar.

Does that mean you will be voting for UKIP then?

[Andy Capp]

Does that mean you will be voting for UKIP then?

Not likely, although I am not utterly against all they stand for.

[GMR]

Not likely, although I am not utterly against all they stand for.

Then that leaves Labour and/ or the BNP.

[blackdog]

Then that leaves Labour and/ or the BNP.

Or he could join the largest party - the Apathetics - and not bother to vote.

[GMR]

Or he could join the largest party - the Apathetics - and not bother to vote.

True.

[Criddleback]

Until recently we used to have a Police officer at each polling station to ensure the rules were upheld.

Really? I've been telling in Newbury since 1993 and I have never seen a police officer at a polling station in this area.

I have however seen some at one other area, Uxbridge, where there was a BNP candidate standing and a fear of unrest.

[Criddleback]

We were telephoned by our supporters who were being turned away and David Yates leader of the Apolitical Democrats 'attended the scene'.

The officers were called out of the polling station to corroborrate David and make the activist cease.

David spoke to the Lib Dem agent by telephone.

The teller was replaced by the Lib Dems.

I rang the Returning Officer who is aware of our complaint and the seriousness of the issue.

What do you mean by "turned away"? Were they actually physically barred from entering the polling station? And precisely how many supporters are you talking about? Two? Three?

[user23]

Until recently we used to have a Police officer at each polling station to ensure the rules were upheld.

How recently?

[Andy Capp]

How recently?

Must come from The Nightingales!

[NWNREADER]

How recently?

It most certainly did happen, but has almost disappeared as a routine posting now. Used to accompany the ballot box to the count, too, and police the count through to final result. At best now officers are asked to 'pay attention'. There isn't a KPI for ballot supervision.....
The responsibility for the running of the election is now firmly with the Returning Officer and his staff, and Polling Station supervisors are briefed to contact the ARO in the event of any problem.

[Strafin]

Yeah I've been involved in local politics for 20 years and never seen a copper attending a polling station.

[NWNREADER]

Yeah I've been involved in local politics for 20 years and never seen a copper attending a polling station.

In the early 90s some local Polling Stations were monitored by Special Constables, but since then the whole issue of attendance has been left to a call from the Poll staff.

[user23]

It most certainly did happen, but has almost disappeared as a routine posting now. Used to accompany the ballot box to the count, too, and police the count through to final result. At best now officers are asked to 'pay attention'. There isn't a KPI for ballot supervision.....
The responsibility for the running of the election is now firmly with the Returning Officer and his staff, and Polling Station supervisors are briefed to contact the ARO in the event of any problem.

I've never seen it happen I'll take your word for it.

Perhaps it's not possible as we have more Polling Stations now, or that it's virtually a red light to criminals if most of the Force is tied up guarding ballot papers.

[Richard Garvie]

I've never seen it happen I'll take your word for it.

Perhaps it's not possible as we have more Polling Stations now, or that it's virtually a red light to criminals if most of the Force is tied up guarding ballot papers.

I think you are on to something there, it's not like the police have any resources to do it now even if they wanted to.

[Rachel]

Until recently we used to have a Police officer at each polling station to ensure the rules were upheld.

My Father, a stickler for "rules", reminds me of this every polling day. He explained that, as far as he was aware, children were not allowed into a polling booth & it was a common site to see the policeman outside gaurding a baby in a pram. It was he who also told me that one is not obliged to show your polling card to the tellers. I'd done so for several years previously as I'd always been "asked" with such force that I thought I had to! Even still, the teller will often be narky when I politely refuse, so much so that I usually just put it in my bag so that they don't ask.

[Simon Kirby]

It was he who also told me that one is not obliged to show your polling card to the tellers. I'd done so for several years previously as I'd always been "asked" with such force that I thought I had to! Even still, the teller will often be narky when I politely refuse, so much so that I usually just put it in my bag so that they don't ask.

Yup, that has been my experience, and no less so this Thursday at Wash Common. I just ignore them, but they seem so official and their demand to see your card can be quite abrupt that I can imagine that most folk will believe they have authority to demand it.

But it's a serious allegation that tellers turned people away if they didn't have their card, not least because it's then possible that they'd selectively let through their own supporters. It certainly needs and official investigation and a public statement.