Vote early, vote often.
May. 3rd, 2005 11:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ceemageYes, I know I've been quiet. But at least one of you may have a professional interest in this...
I've voted by post for several years, going back to the days when you had to get your employer to sign to say you really, really needed one. So the postal voting forms duly arrived about two weeks ago, but were for the Sunderland South constituency. This threw me somewhat, as I was convinced that we were in Houghton & Washington East. Certainly the BBC's website seemed to think so. I squinted at their map, and I seemed to think so as well. However, when Aileen's ordinary polling card arrived a few days later, also for Sunderland South, I decided I was obviously mistaken, and filled in my forms and sent them back.
Fast forward to tonight, and two young ladies from the electoral services department of the council came to the door. Apparently I had indeed been sent the ballot papers for the wrong seat, and they had a new set for me. They seemed rather put out when Aileen explained I was working away in Scotland, and that was part of the reason for needing a postal vote in the first place...
As it happens, I will by a fluke be home on Thursday, so I can hand-deliver my postal vote then. (Not sure if I can just hand it in at any polling station, or whether it needs to go to some designated collection point such as the Civic Centre.)
This is idle speculation on my part, but I'm guessing the problem is that there have been new local government ward boundaries since the last general election, and that someone mistakenly assumed that all of the new Doxford ward was in Sunderland South, when at least *this* part of it has been in Houghton and Washington East. I assume the new draft boundaries (due for the next election) will put all of Doxford in the same parliamentary seat.
It would, of course, be entirely wicked of me to suggest that removing some excess voters from Sunderland South will help ensure another quick count on Thursday night.
I've voted by post for several years, going back to the days when you had to get your employer to sign to say you really, really needed one. So the postal voting forms duly arrived about two weeks ago, but were for the Sunderland South constituency. This threw me somewhat, as I was convinced that we were in Houghton & Washington East. Certainly the BBC's website seemed to think so. I squinted at their map, and I seemed to think so as well. However, when Aileen's ordinary polling card arrived a few days later, also for Sunderland South, I decided I was obviously mistaken, and filled in my forms and sent them back.
Fast forward to tonight, and two young ladies from the electoral services department of the council came to the door. Apparently I had indeed been sent the ballot papers for the wrong seat, and they had a new set for me. They seemed rather put out when Aileen explained I was working away in Scotland, and that was part of the reason for needing a postal vote in the first place...
As it happens, I will by a fluke be home on Thursday, so I can hand-deliver my postal vote then. (Not sure if I can just hand it in at any polling station, or whether it needs to go to some designated collection point such as the Civic Centre.)
This is idle speculation on my part, but I'm guessing the problem is that there have been new local government ward boundaries since the last general election, and that someone mistakenly assumed that all of the new Doxford ward was in Sunderland South, when at least *this* part of it has been in Houghton and Washington East. I assume the new draft boundaries (due for the next election) will put all of Doxford in the same parliamentary seat.
It would, of course, be entirely wicked of me to suggest that removing some excess voters from Sunderland South will help ensure another quick count on Thursday night.
