The Wonder of Democracy

[The Grand Wazoo]

I'm astonished this evening to hear that there have been people prevented from voting because they have still been queuing to vote at 10pm.

And that other polling stations have allowed those in queues to have their vote.

Is it really true that in all the years we've conducted elections in the UK no-one has ever thought that this might possibly happen and laid down some rules as to how to cope with it?

Unbelievable!

[Marco]

Indeed, Chris. But I also think that people have a bad habit of waiting until the last bloody minute.

However, one of the benefits though of living miles from 'the rat race' or big cities is that sort of thing is not an issue....

Queues??

Del and I marched into our local polling office in Wrexham, which was almost empty, and having voted, we were in and out in less than five minutes! ;)

Marco.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Indeed, Chris. But I also think that people have a bad habit of waiting until the last bloody minute.

However, one of the benefits though of living miles from 'the rat race' or big cities is that sort of thing is not an issue....

Queues??

Del and I marched into our local polling office in Wrexham, which was almost empty, and having voted, we were in and out in less than five minutes! ;)

Marco.

Well yes they do often wait for many things till the last minute, but apparently this has never happened before, so that's perhaps not really what's at play here.
If there had been a consistent & enforced protocol, then there wouldn't be a problem, but it is unfair that people were treated differently at different stations.
I'm hearing now on the radio (analogue of course) that people in Sheffield arrived in the queue at 9pm & weren't allowed to place votes. That's hardly leaving it till the last minute. Some folks work long hours, or suffer unavoidable delays.

I'm also hearing that there were delays because of large numbers of students turning up without polling cards.

We just waltzed in too - nice eh?

[Kris]

Our local polling station has had 6 times the usual number of voters we were told. Never seen it so busy . . .

But even so, there were plenty of ballot papers. There's no excuse for running out of ballot papers.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Our polling station was a cabin in a pub garden, we were the only poeple there when we got there and didn't see anyone walking to it... The 2 people monitoring the plce made me feel quite uncomfortable... All in all a very odd experience!

[Spectral Morn]

I'm astonished this evening to hear that there have been people prevented from voting because they have still been queuing to vote at 10pm.

And that other polling stations have allowed those in queues to have their vote.

Is it really true that in all the years we've conducted elections in the UK no-one has ever thought that this might possibly happen and laid down some rules as to how to cope with it?

Unbelievable!

I thought that the great UK public would vote by not voting so I am pleased to see that the turnout in many areas is up on previous elections (I would make it illegal not to vote).

I agree this is a mess and with things as tight as they are in this election the hundreds who could not vote are important missed votes. I have heard on the TV this morning that they may redo the election in these areas. I suspect that this is wishful thinking and will not happen.

Regards D S D L

[Spectral Morn]

Indeed, Chris. But I also think that people have a bad habit of waiting until the last bloody minute.

However, one of the benefits though of living miles from 'the rat race' or big cities is that sort of thing is not an issue....

Queues??

Del and I marched into our local polling office in Wrexham, which was almost empty, and having voted, we were in and out in less than five minutes! ;)

Marco.

That was our experience as well straight in and straight out.

Regards D S D L

[Rare Bird]

Whats up with posting votes thru mail?

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Hung parliament eh? I suspect that's gonna chuck democracy out the window!
I think it says a lot for David camron and his "change" that he couldn't get a majority even after all the things people blame on the last x years of labour

[chris@panteg]

Hi Hamish

Interesting to see the divide though between north and south, the Scots and Welsh still voting Labour in force in the main, they remember what the Tories are about! .

I think a lot of tory supporters in the south are going to be pissed off with the result .
not to mention some Tabloids.

[The Grand Wazoo]

So here we are, sitting waiting to see what will happen as they carve up the balance of power after an inconclusive election.

The buggers work for us.
They are our servants.
We pay them to do our will.

Our will is that none of them has come up with anything that so motivates us to give any of them our full support.

They should bloody well go away & try to work out what it is that we want, & not come back till they've got something better to offer.
Then we might get some proper governance & a chance to sort out the mess that the whole lot of the selfish, greedy, power crazed bastards have put us in.
....and I'm not just talking about the so-called Labour Party.

Rant over......... time to put another record on.

MQWV6eaSYlI

[Rare Bird]

I don't think it's a matter of just voting a party in this time, it's crucial who ever gets in gets us out of the shit, it's serious situation the UK's in at the moment, there's no room for error, no room for peoples views, this is why this time around it will be hybrid .

[twelvebears]

Personally I'd have though closing the doors to the station at 10pm (thus allowing those inside to still vote) would make more sense but understand that the current legal position is that only those who have been handed their ballot paper (regardless of whether they have completed it and pit in in the box), are allowed to vote after the 10pm deadline.

In fairness however, the times have been well publicised and my personal view is that if people really cared THAT much, perhaps they shouldn't have left it until the death to go to the polling station.....

[The Grand Wazoo]

I understand that the Lib-Dems are beating the drum for a 'Progressive Coalition'.

Well some folks here ought to be pleased enough with that............assuming Clegg uses the correct type of skins of course!

[chris@panteg]

Personally I'd have though closing the doors to the station at 10pm (thus allowing those inside to still vote) would make more sense but understand that the current legal position is that only those who have been handed their ballot paper (regardless of whether they have completed it and pit in in the box), are allowed to vote after the 10pm deadline.

In fairness however, the times have been well publicised and my personal view is that if people really cared THAT much, perhaps they shouldn't have left it until the death to go to the polling station.....

Steve ' apparently people were lined up for hours, they just didn't expect such a turnout! .

The local council is to blame, :rolleyes:.

[chris@panteg]

I understand that the Lib-Dems are beating the drum for a 'Progressive Coalition'.

Well some folks here ought to be pleased enough with that............assuming Clegg uses the correct type of skins of course!

Clegg is a slippery customer, i don't trust him! but i think he should take the Tory offer no real alternative as a Lib/Lab pact would still be a minority Government, a Tory go it alone minority Government would be a Disaster .

[Stratmangler]

I understand that the Lib-Dems are beating the drum for a 'Progressive Coalition'.

Well some folks here ought to be pleased enough with that............assuming Clegg uses the correct type of skins of course!

Depends on the type of skins you're talking about.....:eyebrows:

Remember the furore there was when Charles Kennedy admitted that he liked a drink........

[twelvebears]

Reasons why the Conservatives and Labour will never want anything to do with proportional representation....

Tories 36% of votes 306 (47%) of seats
Labour 29% of votes 258 (39%) of seats
Lib Dem 23% of votes 57 (9%) of seats