Polling clerk has say on issues faced on election day
AS a polling clerk I handed people their ballot paper and my chat went something like this (Thousands of ballots spoiled across the city, Wednesday).
“Three people will be elected for this ward, that means you number your votes in order of preference with one being your first choice, two for 2nd choice and you can number them one to three or one to five – as there are five candidates, ok is that ok?”
Voter would reply “numbers not crosses?” “Yes, number them in order of choice.”
Voter: “Ok but why are three being elected?”
Staff: “That’s how many for this ward.”
Some voters came back and said I’ve made a mistake and we replaced the spoiled paper with a clean ballot paper.
Others showed me their paper despite me saying “I don’t want to see your paper, it’s meant to be a secret vote”.
Some asked why certain parties hadn’t nominated a candidate as they didn’t want to vote for any of the three parties on the papers I was handing out. I couldn’t comment on that but advised them to contact the parties concerned.
Then we had to watch to ensure the ballot papers went into the correct ballot boxes, there were three stations in our venue for two different wards.
The voters have a responsibility to say if they don’t understand or if they make mistakes, polling staff are not allowed to influence the vote so what we say is limited to either number the candidates in order of preference or make just one x on the paper.
Other voters get stroppy if you don’t provide them with pens just in case we pull their paper back out of the box and change the vote – way too much hassle.
If you find it too difficult attending the polling station please get a postal vote and you can take your time at home to consider what you’re doing.
Although it’s not the first time a voter has turned up to be told “sorry sir you have a postal vote”. Reply was “Oh is that what that envelope on the mantelpiece is”.
Turnout was 42%. How do we get more folk to engage?
Bored polling clerk
Via email
BP’s boss (the aptly named Bernard Looney) claims that oil giant BP has ‘more cash than we know what to do with’ yet is dead against a windfall tax on oil and gas producers to help those suffering the cost-of-living crisis.
It’s greedy executives like Looney – and the politicians who constantly grovel to them – who are responsible for the present cost-of-living crisis.