Thursday, May 05, 2011
Polling stations shrouded in fog
Back in March I reported on the problems caused by the decision not to put the names of list candidates on ballot papers. At the time a Wales Office spokeswoman said while the names of candidates would not appear on regional list ballot papers, they would be displayed in polling stations.
This did not help postal voters of course but it seemed to be a straw we could cling to. Well the experience today is that right across Wales electoral returning officers have either not been told to do this or they have failed to do it.
I and others have spent precious hours this morning chasing up these lists, none of which have appeared in polling stations I have visited. I have had reports from other areas of similar experiences.
Presumably, keeping voters in the dark about which candidates they are voting for is part of the Electoral Commission's brave new world. This fiasco cannot be allowed to occur again.
This did not help postal voters of course but it seemed to be a straw we could cling to. Well the experience today is that right across Wales electoral returning officers have either not been told to do this or they have failed to do it.
I and others have spent precious hours this morning chasing up these lists, none of which have appeared in polling stations I have visited. I have had reports from other areas of similar experiences.
Presumably, keeping voters in the dark about which candidates they are voting for is part of the Electoral Commission's brave new world. This fiasco cannot be allowed to occur again.
Comments:
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Yes this is all wrong.
But your Party could have helped in South wales Central for instance by putting a complete list of your candidates on the Election communication here,
But your Party could have helped in South wales Central for instance by putting a complete list of your candidates on the Election communication here,
Well given that in our wildest dreams we could only get one list candidate elected in South Wales Central I dont see how a full list would have made a difference. There is a legal requirement to display a list of all candidates nominated at polling stations. That requirement is not being complied with.
Whilst I dont agree with the List System surely the whole point is that you are voting for a Party. If you want the personal vote then the Constituency ballot is the one you should be fighting.
# posted by 
: 1:42 PM
: 1:42 PM
But you are not electing a party you are electing an individual who is treated as being equal to the constituency AM. Read the previous post linked here for more.
Peter I didn't get your leaflet or the constituency Labour leaflet until Tuesday. Plaid's didn't arrive until yesterday.
# posted by : 3:34 PM
: 3:34 PM
You were not meant to get my leaflet until Tuesday. That way it woould be fresh in your mind when you go and vote.
Interesting article but was a bit disapointed not to find a photo of a polling station covered in actual fog
# posted by : 4:42 PM
: 4:42 PM
I didn't see anything when I went to vote myself in St. Thomas. But given that we didn't get polling cards and it took several phone calls to find out where my polling station was this doesn't surprise me.
# posted by : 5:13 PM
: 5:13 PM
I have just voted and the regional list paper has no 'individual' names on it. Just parties which is a disgrace.
The entrance of the small polling station does have a a A3 poster with the parties for the regional vote and the names of the candidates in extrememly tiny letters.
My eyesight is not brilliant but not that bad I could not make the list candidate names out. The letter sizes are probably about 2mm which is not good enough. Especially for mature persons who may want to read who they are voting for.
The entrance of the small polling station does have a a A3 poster with the parties for the regional vote and the names of the candidates in extrememly tiny letters.
My eyesight is not brilliant but not that bad I could not make the list candidate names out. The letter sizes are probably about 2mm which is not good enough. Especially for mature persons who may want to read who they are voting for.
# posted by : 6:36 PM
: 6:36 PM
I quite agree. When Mum and I went to vote we noticed that no names were on the papers. An elderly lady who lives nearby couldn't remember the party sign (our bird symbol) but knew that you and a lady were standing, for obvious reasons I couldn't tell her who to vote for. Our new polling station was so tiny that any one could see who you were voting for and once there were 4 people in the room to vote you would not have been able to swing a cat around let alone try and find the A3 poster with who was standing for which party. I ended up having to take her to the Council offices so she could find the information she needed.
# posted by : 2:34 PM
: 2:34 PM
Peter, given the wide readership your blog enjoys, one is disappointed not to see a response from any of the electoral officials involved.
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