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Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

(50 Posts)
hildajenniJ Mon 02-May-16 19:02:23

On Thursday we are expected to vote for a new Police and Crime Commissioner in our area. This is all, as we have no local elections. I have absolutely no idea who is standing. We have had no communication about it. No-one has been out on the streets giving out leaflets or information. Who do I vote for? How am I expected to vote for any of the candidates, if I don't know who they are, and what they will do in the roll? It will be the first time, but I do not intend to vote.
Does anyone else suffer from this lack of knowledge? Where can I go to find out. The online form asks for postcode, area and candidate name. I do not know their names!!

Alima Mon 02-May-16 19:15:41

I googled "pcc candidates for Hampshire" which brought up a list of candidates and a brief blurb on each. That may be able to help you, probably not if you don't live in Hampshire but you get the drift! We did not vote for aPCC last time, first time ever. This time we have local elections as well so will make more of an effort.

Izabella Mon 02-May-16 19:54:32

There should be a link on your local police forces website

Pittcity Mon 02-May-16 20:01:45

We have council elections too and the PCC candidates have been on our local TV news. Apart from this we have had no PCC leaflets etc.
Our postal vote gave only one independent candidate and I believe this is a position where party politics should not come into play.

sunseeker Mon 02-May-16 20:02:07

I live in a rural area, there are 7 candidates. I have received 1 leaflet and contacted the others via email. Only one replied with a standard statement which did not address any of the points I had raised. I really wonder whether I should vote for any of them but as someone with strong feelings about using something hard fought for I will have to vote based on the statements on their websites.

hildajenniJ Mon 02-May-16 20:24:49

At last, I found them. The nearest candidate to me is 25 miles away. Reading through them, she seems as good a choice as any. I really would have liked more information though.

Galen Mon 02-May-16 20:52:56

I've torn mine up. Don't know any of them and think present one is useless

Jalima Mon 02-May-16 20:58:54

Ours are all political, and I want to vote for one who is Independent.

Do you think she is useless, Galen?
She had problems with that CC.

Deedaa Mon 02-May-16 21:18:59

I have finally had a flyer round from the Labour candidate but nothing from the others (I presume there are others). No idea who our current one is or what, if anything, he has done. How are people with no access supposed to find out? No wonder they have such a low turnout for elections like this.

Regalo Mon 02-May-16 21:23:40

Our local paper had a pretty good resume of the candidates and their views and what they want to achieve. For once I feel well enough informed to confidently vote.

Jalima Mon 02-May-16 21:25:06

Our Tory candidate came to see us.
Can't say we were overly impressed, she had nothing much to say.

Mamardoit Tue 03-May-16 10:14:23

We have had no leaflets or knocks on the door. I looked on line and discovered we have four to choose from.

Tory.......will probably win they always do
Libdem......Not a chance in hell they will ever get my vote again. Next year we will have two student sons. They will leave university with 50+K debt.
Lab....??
UKIP.....He lives close by!

I will go and vote but may well spoil my paper!

Anniebach Tue 03-May-16 10:31:54

It was said on coverage of this that over 80% have political Allegiance

Mamardoit Tue 03-May-16 10:49:21

That's the trouble isn't it. It's just another gravy train. Does anyone know how much these people are paid?

obieone Wed 04-May-16 07:38:28

Two of our candidates want to scrap the idea.[different parties]
I may vote for one of them.

petra Wed 04-May-16 08:28:02

One of ours is a retired police officer and is running under the banner of 'Zero tollarence' (crime) I'm voting for him. I'm sick of the slap on the wrist attitude to repeat offenders.

JessM Wed 04-May-16 08:29:30

Not reasonable to expect individual campaigning as the constituencies are vast and local parties are probably engrossed in their local elections - not to mention Assembly or London Mayoral elections.
My advice is to look at candidates' experience on line and decide who has got the kind of background that would equip them to work professionally alongside a chief constable without being a pushover. Plus if there is any issue you are particularly concerned about e.g. violence against women - do they mention it on their websites etc. and what is their proposed strategy.
In these times of restricted money for charities with domestic violence refuges being forced to closed for lack of funds, PCCs do gave some money at their disposal and are able to set goals for the police.

kittylester Wed 04-May-16 11:33:32

Well, I've just had my first leaflet through the door so, if I bother to go out and vote, that is the candidate I shall choose. To be fair, it probably would have been anyway but I doubt I'll be bothered at all.

I think PCCs would be much better to find out what the people want if they want support.

Luckygirl Wed 04-May-16 11:53:12

PCCs are another case of political window dressing. It is complete nonsense.

Luckygirl Wed 04-May-16 13:33:43

I have searched online and discovered that we are supposed to be choosing a PCC in this locality and I have found the candidates - there is no information about them apart form their name, address and party affiliation (!?). I will not be voting as I do not know them from Adam/Eve nor what they stand for. I am horrified at the amount of money that the election will cost, when clearly the turnout will be negligible, as most other people will be in the same situation as I am. Surely there must be some rule that states a minimum turnout for the election to be valid.

M0nica Wed 04-May-16 14:06:25

I know nothing about any of the people standing to be Police Commissioner, who they are or even who the current police commissioner is and whether he/she is standing for re-election.

Nothing I have seen or read of police commissioners since the last election for them has led me to change my opinion that they are an inappropriate way to manage the police so like last time I will be visiting the polling station in order to spoil my ballot paper.

chelseababy Wed 04-May-16 15:57:07

I am poll coercing tomorrow for just PCC election in this area. We were told to expect about 25% turnout. Last time quite a few people came just so they could spoil their ballot!

chelseababy Wed 04-May-16 15:58:03

Not coercing, clerking!

kittylester Wed 04-May-16 16:10:41

I had a wonderful image of chelseababy going round, door to door, frog marching people to the polling station.grin

JessM Thu 05-May-16 07:25:36

There is information about each of the candidates on this website www.choosemypcc.org.uk/candidates/north-wales/julian-sandham/
You have to press the See More button to see their election addresses. We are all about to research a bit more on line once we have the name - have they been in the local paper? Have they got a profile on Linkedin? etc.
Surely putting details online is a cost-effective way of running an election.?