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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2018 13:35:58 GMT
In my experience it just takes a one-second glance at the bottom of the receipt book thingy. Even if the officer doesn't tell you, an upside-down glance at how many columns have been ticked tells you in mulitples of 25. No this isn't getting turnout figures. It's getting the electoral roll number of everone who has already voted.
You can just ask the staff for the turnout figure. And many boroughs now put the hourly turnout figures on a sign outside every polling station.
they wont always tell you though |
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Post by AdminSTB on Jun 14, 2018 13:41:48 GMT
No this isn't getting turnout figures. It's getting the electoral roll number of everone who has already voted.
You can just ask the staff for the turnout figure. And many boroughs now put the hourly turnout figures on a sign outside every polling station.
they wont always tell you though They generally do if you are the candidate or agent and if they don't, I usually have their boss on the line fairly quickly. |
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Jun 14, 2018 13:58:12 GMT
It was. But (a) no-one knew about it other than count staff; (b) the person doing it was the superior of everyone else who knew about it; (c) he probably thought that, although illegal, the police were unlikely to do anything, and even if they did, Special Branch would help out. I thought that the stubs and ballots were stored in separate places, so that no one person could get access to both of them. Was that the case? Is it now? If the only thing preventing such behaviour by one person is a rule, rather than a physical inability, it isn't much of a protection! This check would be done before the ballots and stubs went into store. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2018 14:51:13 GMT
I'm standing outside a polling station in Blackheath. Is it okay to ask the staff what the turnout has been like so far?  as a passerby? |
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Post by catking on Jun 14, 2018 14:54:27 GMT
If you ask with an air of confidence, I'm pretty sure they'll give you the figure.
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mboy
Liberal
Listen. Think. Speak.
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Post by mboy on Jun 14, 2018 14:54:49 GMT
If you're not going in to vote, I personally wouldn't go in...
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Post by carlton43 on Jun 14, 2018 14:56:19 GMT
I'm standing outside a polling station in Blackheath. Is it okay to ask the staff what the turnout has been like so far? as a passerby? No. He would have to go inside of course. As in the whole of life, never advance any information unless directly asked for it by the authorities. Ask your question as it will be assumed you are a party official. Don't give them grounds for suspicion that you are not! |
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Izzyeviel
Lib Dem
I stayed up for Hartlepools
Posts: 3,279 
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Post by Izzyeviel on Jun 14, 2018 14:56:58 GMT
What's this telling thing you guys are talking about?
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Post by Andrew_S on Jun 14, 2018 14:57:52 GMT
If you're not going in to vote, I personally wouldn't go in... That's probably the best advice. |
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Izzyeviel
Lib Dem
I stayed up for Hartlepools
Posts: 3,279
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Post by Izzyeviel on Jun 14, 2018 14:59:14 GMT
I'm standing outside a polling station in Blackheath. Is it okay to ask the staff what the turnout has been like so far? I always ask when I vote. The response ranges from 'ok' to 'ummm ...I'm sure it'll pick up later' |
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Post by catking on Jun 14, 2018 15:02:45 GMT
If you're not going in to vote, I personally wouldn't go in... Spoilsport. |
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Post by Andrew_S on Jun 14, 2018 15:23:21 GMT
Turns out I didn't even need to ask. At the polling station opposite Blackheath railway station they've got a sheet of paper posted outside with the number of voters each hour (excluding postal voters). The running total at this polling station at 4pm was 286. If anyone knows the total number of eligible voters in this polling district we could probably work out what the overall turnout is likely to be. Edit: according to this document the total number of voters in 2014 was 1,914. But I don't know whether that's the local or general election electorate. www.lewisham.gov.uk/mayorandcouncil/elections/electoral-reviews/Pages/review-polling-districts-polling-places.aspxSo that would mean turnout at 4pm at this polling station was around 15%. That would give a turnout of around 25% if the same rate continues for the rest of the day. |
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Post by justin124 on Jun 14, 2018 15:41:40 GMT
Turns out I didn't even need to ask. At the polling station opposite Blackheath railway station they've got a sheet of paper posted outside with the number of voters each hour (excluding postal voters). The running total at this polling station at 4pm was 286. If anyone knows the total number of eligible voters in this polling district we could probably work out what the overall turnout is likely to be. Edit: according to this document the total number of voters in 2014 was 1,914. But I don't know whether that's the local or general election electorate. www.lewisham.gov.uk/mayorandcouncil/elections/electoral-reviews/Pages/review-polling-districts-polling-places.aspxSo that would mean turnout at 4pm at this polling station was around 15%. That would give a turnout of around 25% if the same rate continues for the rest of the day. On that basis inclusion of postal votes is likely to mean that turnout there is already beyond 25% |
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Post by Andrew_S on Jun 14, 2018 15:44:00 GMT
Turns out I didn't even need to ask. At the polling station opposite Blackheath railway station they've got a sheet of paper posted outside with the number of voters each hour (excluding postal voters). The running total at this polling station at 4pm was 286. If anyone knows the total number of eligible voters in this polling district we could probably work out what the overall turnout is likely to be. Edit: according to this document the total number of voters in 2014 was 1,914. But I don't know whether that's the local or general election electorate. www.lewisham.gov.uk/mayorandcouncil/elections/electoral-reviews/Pages/review-polling-districts-polling-places.aspxSo that would mean turnout at 4pm at this polling station was around 15%. That would give a turnout of around 25% if the same rate continues for the rest of the day. On that basis inclusion of postal votes is likely to mean that turnout there is already beyond 25% Do we know how many postals there are? |
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Post by justin124 on Jun 14, 2018 15:49:39 GMT
No information on that - but the lower the turnout on the day the more significant PVs are likely to be.Probably a good 70% will have been returned.
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Post by andrewp on Jun 14, 2018 16:33:43 GMT
they wont always tell you though They generally do if you are the candidate or agent and if they don't, I usually have their boss on the line fairly quickly. I have been a presiding officer at every election since 2000. If a voter asks what the turnout is I will always tell them. Then. I usually tell them what percentage have received postal votes. The reply is nearly always ‘ oh that’s low’ even if I have said 40/50% for a local election. |
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Izzyeviel
Lib Dem
I stayed up for Hartlepools
Posts: 3,279
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Post by Izzyeviel on Jun 14, 2018 17:07:27 GMT
What's this telling thing you guys are talking about? people from the parties asking you for your polling card number after you've voted (sometimes before) so that they can tell which of their promised supporters has voted That explains why the old bloke outside my polling station seemed saddened when I told him I hadn't kept mine. This seems dodgy, are they allowed to ask how you voted?? |
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Post by gwynthegriff on Jun 14, 2018 17:10:12 GMT
Asking the Polling Clerk "what's the turnout like?" is usually pointless - unless they were at the same polling place last time, it's the same type of election, and they've got a remarkable memory.
Asking the Polling Clerk for a specific figure (be that number or percentage) may be ...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2018 17:15:47 GMT
people from the parties asking you for your polling card number after you've voted (sometimes before) so that they can tell which of their promised supporters has voted That explains why the old bloke outside my polling station seemed saddened when I told him I hadn't kept mine. This seems dodgy, are they allowed to ask how you voted?? no nor can they tell you how to vote. He could have asked for your address though. It's part of a get out the vote campaign developed in Reading. Activists canvass keep a note of their promise and cross off voters when theyve voted. I remember when you had to cut and stick every name and lay all your papers on long tables with rulers to cross out each name |
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Post by gwynthegriff on Jun 14, 2018 17:26:20 GMT
people from the parties asking you for your polling card number after you've voted (sometimes before) so that they can tell which of their promised supporters has voted That explains why the old bloke outside my polling station seemed saddened when I told him I hadn't kept mine. This seems dodgy, are they allowed to ask how you voted?? Not if they want to remain there for any length of time. Practices have varied over the years by time and by location. My experience from 1966 (gulp!) to 2000-ish was: Tellers were permitted to stand outside the polling station. Often they were provided with chairs; even a table! If there was a lobby then they would be allowed in there. As voters went in they would be asked "Hello. Could I have your number please?". 75% would look at the card and read out the number; 15% would say they had forgotten to bring it, but would then be asked for their name & address which most would give; 10% would refuse, politely or less so. Agents, Tellers and Polling Station staff got on fine. All was - generally - sunny. [ There were potential pitfalls but I won't list them here, mostly involving IME unsavoury Labour types ] Then, from about 1997 (cough ...) for some reason the rules started to change (cough ...). No longer allowed inside or to sit in many cases (not great for older volunteers when it was p***ing down, or cold); barred from asking on the way in, only on the way out. ( "Can I have your number please?" "What's that?" "It's on the card that you handed to the polling clerk and which he has now put in a bin ...") We went from being people who helped the electoral process to some sort of sinister threat to public security and decency. And the same people who brought in these changes also moaned about declining political participation.  |
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