Local Government Elections, Postal Votes

“In a report, the Henry Jackson Society said online specialists acting on behalf of the Tehran regime were using fake accounts on platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to encourage the break-up of Britain.

Tactics include setting up fake accounts to launch attacks on unionist parties and politicians and spread information designed to boost the case for Scottish separation.”

There was a report about that on PM in R4 this evening, Urmston. All about destabilising the West. Their speaker said he didn’t think it actually changed minds, although it may drive extremism.

We sent off our postal votes on Saturday. We’ve had loads of leaflets this time, some from parties I’ve never heard of.

The SNP sent a bigger and shiner pamphlet than anyone else. I was able to lay it, our Leader’s face up, in the cats’ litter tray, for which it was the perfect size.

Mind you I think really is the most pitiful drivel - just like the endless pathetic Russia fabrications over Brexit. It's an insult to the intelligence. Not that I have much. But I don’t do FB or Twitter so I cannae be compromised ...

The SNP sent a bigger and shiner pamphlet than anyone else. I was able to lay it, our Leader’s face up, in the cats’ litter tray, for which it was the perfect size

That really made me chuckle SueDonim!

At the weekend the leader of one of the more extreme Unionist parties, well known for his impersonations of a cat, re-tweeted a photoshopped forgery purporting to be a racist tweet allegedly by a prominent SNP supporter.

Within minutes people from all of the political spectrum had given him a piece of their minds and told him to delete it. He eventually did and issued a grudging apology that wasn't really an apology.

There's maybe fake news on both sides but we're not as green as we're cabbage-looking.

Urmstongran

Mind you I think really is the most pitiful drivel - just like the endless pathetic Russia fabrications over Brexit. It's an insult to the intelligence. Not that I have much. But I don’t do FB or Twitter so I cannae be compromised ...

I don't think the report if 45k pro brexit tweets posted by Russian bots just efore the referendum is fabrication UG

Have you never wondered why the Vote Leave government chose not to investigate them?

techcrunch.com/2017/11/15/study-russian-twitter-bots-sent-45k-brexit-tweets-close-to-vote/

Local and Police Commissioner elections here, not sure why these people are needed, and as two of the candidates live in Yorkshire, not my local area, I won’t be voting for either of them, how do they know what is going on in another county, ridiculous.

I think it would make far more sense for everyone to have a postal vote.

I work as a poll clerk, and the cost of hiring halls, paying staff, stationery costs, travel, etc. etc. make voting a costly business, especially ones such as these where the turnout is poor, judging by past experiences.

Not looking forward to Thursday. Having to wear a mask and visor all day, one way system, sanitising all the time, windows and doors to be open all the time.....

We have local council and Police Commissioner elections and, for the first time ever, we have opted to use postal voting.

It was very easy to vote - sounds similar to the system Pitt's council used.

I feel that I am aware enough of what goes on locally to be able to vote without having leaflets delivered and we can look on line if necessary. I realise that doesn't apply to everyone.

We opted for postal voting just to be on the safe side but I doubt we will use it again. There is always a great atmosphere at our polling station and a great chance to catch up with people.

Curious. What is so 'safe' about postal voting?

It's much easier to 'lose' postal votes than it is to lose an entire ballot box. At least I am pretty sure that the piece of paper I put into the ballot box will reach the count and be counted. I wouldn't trust the post quite so much.

As for the expense of voting in person, I think that this is an area in which there is no justification for 'economising'. Access to voting must be fully and freely available to all voters.

Urmstongran

Mind you I think really is the most pitiful drivel - just like the endless pathetic Russia fabrications over Brexit. It's an insult to the intelligence. Not that I have much. But I don’t do FB or Twitter so I cannae be compromised ...

In which case, why did you bother to post it as though it were the absolute truth?

Interestingly, no-one seems to be able to find the 'report' on which it was based. Perhaps you should join twitter; it's a good place to find exposure of the lies and distortions so loved by the right wing media...

MaizieI cannot answer for KittyLester but I read her post to mean: if anything arose that made going to the polling station difficult.

M0nica

*Maizie*I cannot answer for KittyLester but I read her post to mean: if anything arose that made going to the polling station difficult.

I wasn't responding to KittyLester.

I have no problem with people using a postal vote if it would be difficult to get to a polling station, like, being away on holiday, or in hospital, or having mobility problems, but postal votes can easily go astray in the postal system, or arrive too late because of inefficient processing by the local electoral authority. I just think they are more chancy and wonder why people think they are 'safe'.

They are also much more open to accusations of cheating, as we have seen in some close fought elections.

There's no arguing with a cross on a ballot paper done in person at a polling station. And very little likelihood of it going astray.

Exactly Monica. Pandemic and all that.

I have to say though that I am against only postal voting. Who knows what goes on in some homes with regards to coercion and bullying. At least a voting booth is private.

I enjoy the whole formality of going to the polling station and voting and have only once had a postal vote, I cannot for the life of me remember why.

But if the choice is postal vote or no vote, then postal vote wins hands down, despite the problems.

But if the choice is postal vote or no vote, then postal vote wins hands down, despite the problems.

Well, of course it does. It was introduced to ensure that all eligible voters had an opportunity to vote.

But it has significant disadvantages over in person voting and I'm still longing to hear why some people think it's 'safe'.

I think postal voting should be a last resort for the reasons above.

We opted for it to be sure we had a vote in the middle of a pandemic.

And I did check that dh had voted correctly!!!

I have a postal vote but it didn't turn up in time.I rang the council to be told lots of them have gone astray and I would get one delivered by hand, but because of the timeframe I will have to take it to a polling station. Fortunately I am able to do this, but there must be peple who can't and people who haven't bothered to ask where their postal vote is. Should I complain or wait till after the results and only complain if I don't like them?

You're confirming my suspicions, Triaher.

How do you know that your vote hasn't been received? Do you get notification if it has? (Now displaying my ignorance )

Fat fingers . I was, of course, speaking to trisher

I got a letter saying my postal vote forms would be posted on 30th April M0nica They never arrived. I rang up yeaterday and was told a few had "gone astray". I've had one a few years because I used to stay at DSs on Wed night and mind GCs on Thursday so worried about getting home in time to vote. It's the first time this has happened

I never know if they receive them I've always just trusted it-now I'm starting to wonder....

trisher

I got a letter saying my postal vote forms would be posted on 30th April M0nica They never arrived. I rang up yeaterday and was told a few had "gone astray". I've had one a few years because I used to stay at DSs on Wed night and mind GCs on Thursday so worried about getting home in time to vote. It's the first time this has happened

Thanks for clarifying, trisher. I think I'm right in not trusting the post...

(I'm Maizie, BTW )

MaizieD I worked in the Electoral Registration office at our local Council - no one is informed as to whether their postal ballot paper has or has not been received back by the Council.
The process is: the postal votes are issued and posted out well in advance of polling day. When they are returned they are stored in a ballot box until polling day (the ballot paper remains unseen and private). They are then taken to the count and are counted (after the close of poll). Usually, they are the first votes to be counted whilst the tellers are awaiting the delivery of ballot boxes from the polling stations. At no stage are the received postal votes matched up with the list of postal votes issued. Hope this helps.