Page 4 | To wonder what's stopping them tampering with the postal votes

SabrinaThwaite · 12/06/2024 23:30

RubyWinehouse · 12/06/2024 22:20

I agree and it's happened before, not saying any more but how else do you think the very detested Sadiq Khan got to be mayor of London again?

No, no, no!!!

You must tell us everything!!!!

In excruciating detail!!!!!!

AgathaMystery · 12/06/2024 23:03

Don’t know about anyone else but I needed this thread this evening.

OP, you could post your vote in a fireproof wallet? £9 on Amazon.

HelpMeGetThrough · 12/06/2024 22:53

nobeans · 12/06/2024 20:32

By setting post boxes in key constituencies on fire or otherwise delaying the post collection?

How many other General Elections have had this as an issue?

Redshoeblueshoe · 12/06/2024 22:43

I've got a postal vote because my photo ID doesn't match the name on my voting card. No one is canvassing where I live because it was already one of the safest Labour seats in the country. I didn't realise I could just hand it in, I will do because I actually like going to vote.

Latenightreader · 12/06/2024 22:38

Topofthemountain · 12/06/2024 22:34

There probably is no need to set post boxes alight or stuff, just leave it in the hands of the ever so competent Royal Mail and the same result can be achieved without all the hassle.

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Agreed - a few months ago my mother received a postcard posted about 18 years ago. Coincidentally our local sorting office was replacing their machinery about that time.

Topofthemountain · 12/06/2024 22:34

Latenightreader · 12/06/2024 21:51

I’ve hand delivered mine to the address on the postal vote (Town Hall in my case) when I was concerned that the post might be delayed.

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There probably is no need to set post boxes alight or stuff, just leave it in the hands of the ever so competent Royal Mail and the same result can be achieved without all the hassle.

Serencwtch · 12/06/2024 22:30

nobeans · 12/06/2024 20:54

That's reassuring. I see I can hand mine in at a polling station but I have to fill in a form when I'm there. I might just do that.

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What if someone poured water into the ballot box?
It's probably easier to pour water /petrol/ lighted match into a ballot box than a postbox.

qwertyasdfgzxcv · 12/06/2024 22:29

In answer to the best way to ensure your vote arrives and is counted, I would suggest using Owl Post.

qwertyasdfgzxcv · 12/06/2024 22:27

We don't live in Russia.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 12/06/2024 22:27

nobeans · 12/06/2024 20:48

Ok ok ill rephrase it.

How do I know my vote is going to arrive safely and be counted?

If you're that worried, hand it in at the council offices or any polling station you'd pass on the way to the post box (for example, near work/kids' school, etc).

Nonspecificcheese · 12/06/2024 22:26

Surely to have any impact they’d need to burn out post boxes on a massive scale, repeatedly, which might, you know, arouse suspicion?

Wouldn’t ”they” also be burning their own votes?

OnSecondThoughts · 12/06/2024 22:24

I've often thought what's to stop them just making up the results (ie, have a corrupt returning officer who's paid off to just read out the desired figures). It would possibly only work in marginal seats where the result was expected to be close (so the people who counted the actual votes would see the same sort of result as they were getting) but otherwise, who would know?

RubyWinehouse · 12/06/2024 22:20

I agree and it's happened before, not saying any more but how else do you think the very detested Sadiq Khan got to be mayor of London again?

Original poster

nobeans · 12/06/2024 22:17

Badassnameforadojo · 12/06/2024 22:07

Every day? Target the post boxes every day?

Why not just admit/accept that you’ve had a bit of a mad moment and driven yourself to think som outlandish thing, which with hindsight is not at all plausible and nothing to worry about. Then move on with your thoughts.

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Happy to admit it might be a bit off the wall thinking sure. But I just genuinely wanted to know how the system prevents this.

OP posts:

Edenmum2 · 12/06/2024 22:16

*Toottooot
Awa bile yer heid min.

Sorry did you just tell me to boil my head?*

This thread is exemplary

Original poster

nobeans · 12/06/2024 22:15

Takoneko · 12/06/2024 22:07

The thing is that the conservatives aren’t focusing their campaigning on super marginal seats, or even marginals. They are clearly worried that they might not hold onto usually safe seats. Why on earth would would they risk getting caught committing a serious crime to win an odd seat here or there in an election that they are overwhelmingly likely to lose decisively no matter what?

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I didn't realise they are basically going to lose so there's no point

OP posts:

Original poster

nobeans · 12/06/2024 22:15

MarthaDunstable · 12/06/2024 21:58

That, to be fair, is actually true.

In a super-marginal every single door will be knocked on multiple times by each party: possibly with the exception of specific council estates which the Tories think are a total lost cause/vice versa for affluent elderly villages which Labour don't think are worth the effort.

People will be asked about voting intentions and about whether they're going to vote in person or by post. I reckon that each party will have a pretty good sense of which way the postal vote in each ward will swing. So it's not completely unthinkable.

But the chances of torching a post box in the run up to polling day and getting away with it are very low, given the amount of CCTV in this country. And the PR implications of getting caught would be catastrophic.

If you're worried OP then just do what I do with cards in the run up to Christmas, on the advice of a postal worker, and post your ballot inside a post office.

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Thank you. Last time we had an election I had 3 different people knock on my door. I lied and told them all yes of course I would vote for them and take a poster. Then I threw it in the bin and voted for my preferred candidate.

OP posts:

Edenmum2 · 12/06/2024 22:14

If you're in a key seat then some one might pour water in the post box or something

Are you high?

Takoneko · 12/06/2024 22:07

MarthaDunstable · 12/06/2024 21:58

That, to be fair, is actually true.

In a super-marginal every single door will be knocked on multiple times by each party: possibly with the exception of specific council estates which the Tories think are a total lost cause/vice versa for affluent elderly villages which Labour don't think are worth the effort.

People will be asked about voting intentions and about whether they're going to vote in person or by post. I reckon that each party will have a pretty good sense of which way the postal vote in each ward will swing. So it's not completely unthinkable.

But the chances of torching a post box in the run up to polling day and getting away with it are very low, given the amount of CCTV in this country. And the PR implications of getting caught would be catastrophic.

If you're worried OP then just do what I do with cards in the run up to Christmas, on the advice of a postal worker, and post your ballot inside a post office.

Show quote history

The thing is that the conservatives aren’t focusing their campaigning on super marginal seats, or even marginals. They are clearly worried that they might not hold onto usually safe seats. Why on earth would would they risk getting caught committing a serious crime to win an odd seat here or there in an election that they are overwhelmingly likely to lose decisively no matter what?

Badassnameforadojo · 12/06/2024 22:07

nobeans · 12/06/2024 21:47

They will know if supporters of their party use postal votes more or will know the areas they live in so they can target the other onrs

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Every day? Target the post boxes every day?

Why not just admit/accept that you’ve had a bit of a mad moment and driven yourself to think som outlandish thing, which with hindsight is not at all plausible and nothing to worry about. Then move on with your thoughts.

AgathaMystery · 12/06/2024 22:03

nobeans · 12/06/2024 21:10

No need to be quite so harsh.
You can also nominate someone to drop off your postal vote at a polling station on the 4th. thanks that's handy to know. How do I do that?

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Sorry. I meant you sounded unhinged and deluded and like you’d been reading the National Enquirer since 1998 whilst listening to GB News and micro dosing mushrooms.

Just hand your sealed postal vote to anyone who is going to vote at your polling station. Any individual may hand in up to 5 postal votes, except candidates on the ballot, who may only hand in a vote of someone within their household.

MarthaDunstable · 12/06/2024 21:58

nobeans · 12/06/2024 21:47

They will know if supporters of their party use postal votes more or will know the areas they live in so they can target the other onrs

Show quote history

That, to be fair, is actually true.

In a super-marginal every single door will be knocked on multiple times by each party: possibly with the exception of specific council estates which the Tories think are a total lost cause/vice versa for affluent elderly villages which Labour don't think are worth the effort.

People will be asked about voting intentions and about whether they're going to vote in person or by post. I reckon that each party will have a pretty good sense of which way the postal vote in each ward will swing. So it's not completely unthinkable.

But the chances of torching a post box in the run up to polling day and getting away with it are very low, given the amount of CCTV in this country. And the PR implications of getting caught would be catastrophic.

If you're worried OP then just do what I do with cards in the run up to Christmas, on the advice of a postal worker, and post your ballot inside a post office.

Sahara123 · 12/06/2024 21:55

nobeans · 12/06/2024 21:16

Oh I thought it was a week window

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It could well be , I don’t actually know! I was just imagining the postie opening the box and water flooding out…

Latenightreader · 12/06/2024 21:51

nobeans · 12/06/2024 20:48

Ok ok ill rephrase it.

How do I know my vote is going to arrive safely and be counted?

I’ve hand delivered mine to the address on the postal vote (Town Hall in my case) when I was concerned that the post might be delayed.

Original poster

nobeans · 12/06/2024 21:47

MargaretThursday · 12/06/2024 21:36

But how would "they" know that the post box they were targeting had more votes for the other party than for themselves?

I'm going to vote for whichever political party promises to add teaching critical thinking in schools. Posts like this prove how badly needed it is.

Edited

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They will know if supporters of their party use postal votes more or will know the areas they live in so they can target the other onrs

OP posts: