Voting today??

natrix

Can anybody be arsed? It's not as if any of the candidates in my area have bothered to send me any leaflets, outline their views etc. I'm considering spoiling my paper forthe first time.....

dabber

We've had zero contact from any of the candidates... no mailing, knock on door... zilch.
So, I've no information to base any voting decision on, so I won't be voting.

pb21

Dabber wrote:

We've had zero contact from any of the candidates... no mailing, knock on door... zilch.
So, I've no information to base any voting decision on, so I won't be voting.

Same, I guess they don't have any money to campaign though, plus you could have gone to them via the internet.

peat

If there was an option on the ballot of 'No thanks, we don't need another strata of management (ergo: another high salaried chinless wonder) How about the current shower just get thier act together?', then i would bother going tonight.

cornerblock

No contact here either, but I shall probably vote for Eric Bristow.


Joking aside, these elections have been really badly publicised, I'd say the majority would be unaware they are even taking place at all. Democracy? Mmm.

AchillesLeftKnee

I shall be voting "Spoilt Paper" myself. At best it's a waste of taxpayers (ie. our) money, and at worst it's an increase in the politicisation of the police.

afx237vi

Dabber wrote:

We've had zero contact from any of the candidates... no mailing, knock on door... zilch.
So, I've no information to base any voting decision on, so I won't be voting.

Same here. Is there anybody in the country who actually thinks we need elected police commissioners? Seems like a terrible idea to me.

Kieran_Burns

I'd agree normally, but one of my local candidates is Sir Clive Loader a former Air Chief Marshal and Commander-in-Chief in the Royal Air Force, which lets face it is seriously heavy duty.

capt_slog

I had one come round to my house.

I told him that if he didn't p1ss off, I'd call the police.

Cleat Eastwood

afx237vi wrote:

Dabber wrote:

We've had zero contact from any of the candidates... no mailing, knock on door... zilch.
So, I've no information to base any voting decision on, so I won't be voting.

Same here. Is there anybody in the country who actually thinks we need elected police commissioners? Seems like a terrible idea to me.

Indeed especially as, from what I've seen from the interviews on TV, most if not all of the candidates have some political affiliation.

Can't quite work out why it's believed we need them.

de_sisti

I sent an email to all of the candidates yesterday, asking them what they thought about
cycling and cyclists. The tory candidate was the only one to reply. Not much in the response
though, just a bland answer.

Thank you for your email. As a (fair-weather) cyclist, I believe that it is an enjoyable and healthy pursuit.
We as a country need to look at how we can make cycling safer on our roads, particularly in
residential areas, and around schools and colleges. It's important, also, that cyclists take responsibility
for their own safety, obeying road rules and wearing high-visibility clothing and lights in these dark
winter evenings.

I hope this answers your queries.

Kind regards,

Victoria Atkins

dynamicbrick

Cleat Eastwood wrote:

afx237vi wrote:

Dabber wrote:

We've had zero contact from any of the candidates... no mailing, knock on door... zilch.
So, I've no information to base any voting decision on, so I won't be voting.

Same here. Is there anybody in the country who actually thinks we need elected police commissioners? Seems like a terrible idea to me.

Indeed especially as, from what I've seen from the interviews on TV, most if not all of the candidates have some political affiliation.

Can't quite work out why it's believed we need them.

One of my best mates is a copper.

Given what he says about the job in general, I think it's mainly to try to curb the lunatic excesses of the force chiefs. Some of the 'initiatives' they cook up are astoundingly poor management of people and resources.

That's about the only logical explanation I can muster for why we need them.

natrix

Looks like a poor turnout in some areas http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/nov/1 ... sh-turnout

dynamicbrick

natrix wrote:

Looks like a poor turnout in some areas http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/nov/1 ... sh-turnout

This deeply worries me;

The Guardian wrote:

The opposition party has set itself a benchmark of winning "a majority of policing" outside London. This would mean Labour controlling the forces that have a majority of officers or spend the most of the police budget.

Frank the tank

I don't agree with politicising the police, so I'm not going to endorse the policy by voting in this stupidity.

MaxwellBygraves

In the 1999 European parliament elections the turnout was 23%. I'd put money on todays turnout being lower. Just for fun, I'm calling it at 19.2%.

More interestingly, there are by-elections in Corby, Cardiff and Manchester after sittings MP's resigned - perhaps the most high profile one being the resignation of Tory MP Louise Mensch who resigned to move to New York with her family. It'll be interesting to see how people cast their votes in these by-elections.

MaxwellBygraves

Oh and there's also a mayoral election in Brizzle.

Bozman

Waste of time and money, i might take some notice if the candidates were all indipendant rather than party backed.

AchillesLeftKnee

MaxwellBygraves wrote:

In the 1999 European parliament elections the turnout was 23%. I'd put money on todays turnout being lower. Just for fun, I'm calling it at 19.2%.

Based on the scenes at my local polling station, I'd say 19.2% in wards where the only thing up for grabs is Top Rozzer is going to be way, way, waaaaaaaay over the mark. That's the first time I've ever managed to get in, vote (well, write "This paper intentionally spoiled" anyway), and get out again without seeing another voter, and we're in a historically pretty high turnout area (72% at the last GE).

MaxwellBygraves

AchillesLeftKnee wrote:

MaxwellBygraves wrote:

In the 1999 European parliament elections the turnout was 23%. I'd put money on todays turnout being lower. Just for fun, I'm calling it at 19.2%.

Based on the scenes at my local polling station, I'd say 19.2% in wards where the only thing up for grabs is Top Rozzer is going to be way, way, waaaaaaaay over the mark. That's the first time I've ever managed to get in, vote (well, write "This paper intentionally spoiled" anyway), and get out again without seeing another voter, and we're in a historically pretty high turnout area (72% at the last GE).

Indeed, maybe I have overestimated it!

Story here of a polling station who, as of half past four today, recorded a turnout of 1.08% !!

AchillesLeftKnee

Good grief, that is low! I thought the staff on duty where I voted looked bored. The poor sods in Sholing must be out of their minds with it!

cornerblock

Looks like Eric Bristow may get more votes then!

Phil Fouracre

Difficult one this! talking to electoral officer tonight - sounds like barely 10%. Interesting responses so far, got to agree with some of the comments - but, I've always felt that if you ever have the opportunity to vote in any way you should always do it to the best of your ability. People have died for your right to do so, sounds corny, but, 'tis true.

CambsNewbie

Kevin Carrol is standing in Bedfordshire. He is the co-founder of the EDL and is standing as British Freedom which is apparently the political wing of the EDL. God help us all!

mattshrops

Dont agree with the principle of this- BUT we have an independant standing and i believe that is the most important factor that this post is not controlled by party politics. So yes i voted today.(never heard of the bloke or heard from him for that matter :roll: )

tiredofwhiners

Pretty laughable really - the newspapers have been full of information regarding the election date and that they were coming.

And if anyone had turned up at your door, you'd have either not answered it or complained.

If you'd paid attention to the news, then you would have realised they were not going to spend a fortune paying candidates to print leaflets when 100% of them end up in the trash or littering the streets. It was all online.

Welcome to the 21st Century.

And yes, I voted, as not doing so gives you zero right to complain if you don't like the outcome.

Cleat Eastwood

tiredofwhiners wrote:

And yes, I voted, as not doing so gives you zero right to complain if you don't like the outcome.

People have every right to complain - who asked for the commissioners? Its hardly democratic to say you you're having this, with no right to question it, now go out vote. The first vote should have been do you want this cobblers or not.

MaxwellBygraves

I've heard of several polling stations in Staffordshire which had a zero per cent turnout today. Unsubstantiated as of yet, confirmation (or not) by tomorrow hopefully.

Frank the tank

tiredofwhiners wrote:

Pretty laughable really - the newspapers have been full of information regarding the election date and that they were coming.

And if anyone had turned up at your door, you'd have either not answered it or complained.

If you'd paid attention to the news, then you would have realised they were not going to spend a fortune paying candidates to print leaflets when 100% of them end up in the trash or littering the streets. It was all online.

Welcome to the 21st Century.

And yes, I voted, as not doing so gives you zero right to complain if you don't like the outcome.

So let's imagine I have to make a choice between a tory, communist, BNP, or god forbid you. None of you deserve my vote so I'm stuffed If I'm going to endorse any of the candidates. Totally disagree with making any element of policing a seperate political issue.

MaxwellBygraves

So far:
- Tories win first PCC in Wiltshire, turnout 15.8%
- Labour hold Manchester Central and Cardiff South by-elections with big swings to Labour in both constituencies
- In Manchester Central, Tory candidate loses deposit after getting just 700 votes (LOL)
- Turnout in Manchester & Cardiff by-elections was 18 & 25% respectively
- Swing away from Lib Dems in Manchester was 17%
- Corby by-election result due midday today
- Bristol mayoral election due later today
- Rest of PCC results also due
- Turnout nationwide estimated around 18%

tiredofwhiners

Cleat Eastwood wrote:

People have every right to complain - who asked for the commissioners?

You must have missed it as its in the election manifesto - no doubt something else you wouldn't read then try and pretend its not your fault ?