What turn out at your polling station?

Nothing wrong with early retirement Pete, just ask Gordan and our Tone.

 

Did mine by post. Judging by the length of time it now takes letters to reach us - if they get here at all - I doubt it's been counted. OH - who fancies himself as the clever one - refused to read the instructions, completely trashed his effort and then threw it in the bin. We are not allowed to mention it.

 

So we wont the Clare.:D:gaagh:

 

voting is way at the bottom of my list of things to do therefore didnt vote and havent done for years and no intention of doing so in the future

 

Well, the long standing Conservative councillor in our area (which sees itself as posh), is also the mayor of the borough. Yet he's lost his seat to Labour :(

 

Of course, the first thing to say is that provided your name is on the Electoral Roll you don't need to receive a Polling card in order to go and vote.

In our village, judging by what was happening when I arrived, I would imagine the turnout will be around its usual 75% - 80%.

What really worries me is that the choice has been given to the Great British Public at all. Before I even got inside our Polling Station I heard one (presumably the wife) say 'All you had to do was read the question and put a cross next to Yes or No depending on whether you wanted a change or not' to which the answer was 'Oh, why didn't it say so'. Having been handed my ballot papers and whilst reading through the list of candidates (on one paper I could vote for up to 11!), another voice was heard saying 'What's it all about?' The Polling Clerk patiently explained, being careful to merely repeat in slightly different words, what was on the referendum paper (thus avoiding being accused of bias or canvassing). There was a pause before the same voice said, 'Well, I don't really understand it' so it was explained again. As I waited to post my ballot papers through a slot hardly wider than two bits of tissue, this eejit finally decided to accept a ballot paper and with the words 'Well, I'll vote, but I've no idea what I'm voting for', disappeared into a voting booth.

There's nothing like a well informed electorate - and she was nothing like informed. Gawd 'elp us.

 

A definite, "Maybe", I think would be in order, or how about, "none of the above".
I know I should make the effort, but I dont think my vote would ever count for much the way the system is run, and I think I've said before the AV we were being offered was the worst kind of AV I could think of.

And as you say shiney, they dont even have to abide by the outcome, so basically if was a total farce.

As to council elections, does it make that much difference to the ordinary bloke in the street who wins?