Disenfranchisement

[purpletigron]

Out of 58,000 registered postal voters locally, I learn that 'dozens' of people have already officially reported their ballot papers missing to the Elections Office. There is no way to 'cancel' a ballot paper (as one might a lost credit card) to flag up as 'reported lost' when it is counted. However, the Elections Office say that they are keeping a list of names, and will follow up anyone who has reported their ballot missing if that ballot paper is then used. They have a system to see which postal ballot papers are used without violating the secrecy of the actual vote cast, apparently.

The official who rang me says they 'have not yet identified the cause of the problem'.

The local party office which I contacted says that 'if the result is close, we will challenge it'.

Comments

[purplecthulhu.livejournal.com]

But there's no way of getting your vote back?

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

A new ballot paper can be issued. However, at this late stage, I would have to physically collect it from the office in Birmingham. Mater couldn't cope with me doing that :-(

[maureenkspeller.livejournal.com]

Could you get it couriered over in some fashion. At this stage, I really feel they should be bending over backwards to make up for their failure to get the things delivered properly.

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

They weren't prepared to do this, though I agree. It is only because of Mater's illness that I couldn't get to the office, but that's not any of their business...

[maureenkspeller.livejournal.com]

You know, I feel so much better about hassling my office when I did. We have circa 270 papers missing in action at present.

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

The ballots weren't delivered to the local sorting office until last Thursday and Friday, so the earliest I could have hassled them was ... the Saturday of the holiday weekend :-(

[maureenkspeller.livejournal.com]

That is absolutely ridiculous ... they seem to be expecting something little short of a miracle from Royal Mail, and as we know ...

Quite.

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

They claimed that, after widely reported local problems, they had to spend extra time 'double checking'. The ballots were directly delivered in bulk from Manchester to the local sorting offices, I believe. G's arrived with the post on Friday morning.

[the-gardener.livejournal.com]

the Elections Office say that they are keeping a list of names, and will follow up anyone who has reported their ballot missing if that ballot paper is then used. They have a system to see which postal ballot papers are used without violating the secrecy of the actual vote cast

But surely it will take a certain period of time to run the checks in question? Irrespective of challenges to close results as they are declared, these checks could work to delay the declarations by some hours....meaning that in theory we could be midway through Friday before we start to get a a clear idea of the likely composition of the new House of Commons!

In the event of challenges to close results, would the declared winner be able to take up their seat? After all, if fraud were subsequently proved, and votes for them discounted, they might have to stand down in favour of the reall winner. Never mind the possibility of permanently barring one or more of the candidates from standing in an election in cases of really widespread fraud, and having to run the affected contests all over again....

Still, this could make for a fun Friday!

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

Oh, indeed it will take a day or two. Only if any result comes down to dozens of votes do I expect to see declarations delayed. I hope that the problem is incompetance not fraud, as expensive legal cases would doubtless be needed to install the real winner otherwise.

[artela.livejournal.com]

If the result is close the result as declared at the time by the returning officer stands, an investigation is then held, and if the returned seat is unsafe then a by-election is held.

[sharikkamur.livejournal.com]

I too have been disenfranchised by the postal service, but I suspect it's the Icelandic Posturinn that's to blame in my case. I no longer have the option of going along to the polls to spoil my ballot. If I'm still here next election I wonder if I can vote in person at the British Embassy in Reykjavik?