The BIG Metro Poll 2008

[Stuart*]

Not any more.

They had to do away with that bit of legislation when they made postal voting easier. Now it's perfectly legal for you to receive your Ballot Slip through the post, complete with Envelope A, the Declaration Form and Envelope B, then shove the whole damn lot through your shredder at home and not return them.

EDIT:
Actually, if your postal ballot isn't returned it makes no difference. It's simply counted as though you didn't turn up at the polling station. You can still vote at the polling station even if you have sent your postal vote. Because postal votes are counted last it would simply be dismissed as irrelevant.

However, what happens if you take your ballot paper at the polling station and then destroy it in secret (in the booth) and then leave? There would be ballot papers unaccounted for if you did it unnoticed when they were busy.

Myself and Oscar have just had a pleasant walk up the hill to the polling station on this lovely sunny afternoon. I now feel as though I have done my civic duty for another year.

[Square Eyes]

I wonder if Ben Shatliff will get in ? Old Gordon's done him no favours though really.

[Nick Harvey]

Didn't realise he was standing, though he usually does, so I should have assumed.

Mind you, he usually looses pretty badly, even before Gordon's "help", so I don't hold out much hope.

If anyone gets the result, please post it here for us to see!

[Square Eyes]

Didn't realise he was standing, though he usually does, so I should have assumed.

Mind you, he usually looses pretty badly, even before Gordon's "help", so I don't hold out much hope.

If anyone gets the result, please post it here for us to see!

Well his website says that he's "ready to win".

This is the ward ;

Lib Dem Vic D’Albert is seeking re-election in Holyrood ward, alongside the Conservative’s Matthew Hague and Benjamin Shatliff from the Labour Party.

I'm looking forward to the Paxman interview.

[Mr Q]

I also think we should have compulsory voting

The freedom not to vote though is surely what a democracy stands upon.

While I respect that point of view, there are plenty of other things that democracies expect and require of their people. If you took that view, we wouldn't have taxes. Indeed, we wouldn't have laws at all (which is fair enough because without taxes, then we wouldn't have police or courts to enforce the law anyway). While a democracy should seek to make minimal impositions on the rights of its people, I don't think there's anything especially onerous about requiring them to vote in elections.

Here in Australia, we have 'compulsory voting', which requires all those enrolled to vote to show up to the polling station on election day, have our names marked off, and collect a ballot paper. When we vote, and in contrast to what happens in the UK, we rank all the candidates on offer in order of preference by numbering the boxes next to their names - not just placing a tick in one box. If we genuinely have no preference at all for any of the candidates, then we have every right to just doodle all over the ballot paper and place it in the box, or indeed we can take the ballot paper out of the polling station with us. I once had a politics teacher who simply collected the ballot papers from each election - he didn't vote at all. Therefore the only legal requirement is that you show up. And if you're still averse to doing even that, and you don't go the polling station at all, then when the electoral commission asks why you didn't vote, my understanding is that you only need to claim something like you were suffering from flu, and that's usually enough to excuse you.

[Jovis]

Ben Shatliff says "Welcome" to the website.

Ben has listened to various pieces of feedback about
the website and he is pleased to unveil an all new site
which is Interactive and Updated on a more regular
basis.

Why the third person? Unless he has some sort of website team, I don't see the need. Surely it would be better for the PR to talk in first person?

And why another revamp of the site? Everytime I have a look there's some new look waiting to be unveiled. It was around a year ago he was planning to take the ITV stuff off and put it somewhere else - it's still there.

No wonder he gets no votes with a site like that. I just hope his other political skills are up to scratch. A man should have some dignity.

Sorry, this has been said before.

[Nick Harvey]

Why the third person? Unless he has some sort of website team.

He's probably employing thirteen members of his family to do the website, ready for when he gets into parliament!

[Square Eyes]

The results are in :

HOLYROOD

DAlbert, Vic
(Liberal Democrat)
1,632 43

Hague, Matthew
(Conservative)
852

Shatliff, Benjamin Francis
(Labour)
669

[noelfirl]

And Boris wins. Oh well, naught can be done except give him a chance I suppose.

[Pete]

Shatliff, Benjamin Francis
(Labour)
669

I wonder if Ben would get better votes if he defected to the tories.

[Stuart*]

I wonder if Ben would get better votes if he defected to the tories.

Probably, if he could convince a local party to nominate him.

But it begs the question: why do they put party logos on the ballot paper before names?
...I voted for the party...not the person, I can't remember her/his name...can you remember (those that voted)?