So those people sitting outside the Polling station...

I'm surprised how upsetting some people are finding the tellers and their role. They really are just trying to make things run smoothly (for their own party of course, but by proxy for everyone, so people aren't knocked up unnecessarily).

Sorry it felt unpleasant OP.

@ciderhouserules There is no good time to canvass. If we do it in the day people are at work. If we do it in the evening people complain we're ruining their dinner. If we do it weekend mornings we get people out of bed!

If we DON'T do it people complain that we haven't knocked on their doors

They are nothing to do with exit polls and they aren’t supposed to ask how you are voting. All they are there to do is collect polling numbers so they can record who has voted, which means they know which doors they don’t need to knock on later. You aren’t obliged to give them your number, but if you do they aren’t going to use it for nefarious purposes.

Probably people who, as children, couldn't resist feeling all the presents under the tree on Christmas Eve

Maybe it could be construed as being for political gain. But we all shared the numbers with the other parties. Quite civilised.

No, I realise that; I was just commenting on another thing about the whole electoral process that I find pointless and irritating.

My father told me they aren't 'official' before I first voted forty years ago. I say 'good morning ' and breeze past.

But no it's just to help people who have said they'd vote for a party and offer transport etc.

But that's THEM wanting to connect with THEIR supporters. Isn't it rather arrogant to expect everybody to show them their cards, just so they can cross you off their list as irrelevant to them?

They're not to do with exit polls

Gives them all something to talk about until the results start rolling in.

As this thread proves, plenty of people are conspiracy theorists. But you absolutely don't have to give your number.

Come on, it IS for political gain, even if subtly. Why would the parties bother to send people out to do it if it made no difference whatsoever to their chances?

Acting for these same candidates many of whom you barely ever see year in, year out; but then they're all over the local media when there's an election on the horizon.

Would Party X really be desperately clamouring to give lifts to the polling station to people who categorically told them that they were going to vote for Party Y - just out of a pure love for democracy and access to suffrage?!

I used to live in East London when Galloway was standing there. You used to have to run a gauntlet of fairly intimidating young Muslim men to get to the polling station. I didn't like it at all. I never engage with them even when they are more polite than that.

I used to do this sometimes. Lots of people are suspicious and think you're about to use their number to trace how they voted. But no it's just to help people who have said they'd vote for a party and offer transport etc.

My dad used to help drive elderly voters and people with mobility issues to get to the polling stations. Now he's elderly and has mobility issues.

Yep. I mentioned a teacher at school telling us about this. I did A levels in 1978 and I think it was well before that.

It's pretty labour intensive and therefore costly. If there wasn't a market, the media and in particular broadcasters, it wouldn't happen.

The exit poll will fill the news vacuum until actual results come in :-)

The one outside our polling station didn't have a rosette, just looked like someone with a clipboard, maybe incognito then, I just gave her the number. I didn't realise they gave you a lift if you left it late to vote, DH mentioned this but i thought he was joking and suggested they may use a minibus.

I believe they are not allowed in the actual polling station, but have to lurk outside, not even in the porch.

When I did it I chatted with people I knew, pre-empted others with, “No, it’s okay! It’s only voluntary!” and had my ear burnt off for two hours about the “rival” teller’s talented grandchildren. And made friends with the Labour candidate who was a very odd but charming conspiracy theorist…

Maybe it's just an introvert/privacy-valuing thing on my part, but I would find it deeply intrusive for somebody to knock on my door and ask if I've been to vote yet - with the likelihood that they may ask for whom (if yes) or why not and insist that you really should (if no).

Everybody has the democratic right to choose not to vote, for whatever reason - and to keep their voting choices secret if they have voted, without a stranger trying to cajole them to tell.

Maybe, if they had better policies and a solid reputation of honour, respectability and trustworthiness, they wouldn't need to go around begging people to come out and vote (for them).

Just had a car from the workers party drive by... very loudly proclaiming "A vote for Labour is a vote for genocide"

They're the only ones who've bothered to knock on my door in this campaign - liked the candidate but won't vote for him as he's way to far from my views on most things. Did give him a glass of squash though as it was a very hot day and he looked parched.

I've done telling - it's a fairly thankless task but in very marginal areas it can make the difference. I've known people who've won by under 20 votes and that's almost certainly down to telling and then getting the vote out.

Tellers should be polite and non pushy and it should be obvious which party / candidate they represent. They should not go INSIDE the polling station and should only approach you on your way out unless good morning/afternoon/ evening

"May I see your polling card please?"

NO - That's fine, thank you for taking the time to vote, enjoy the rest of your day.

YES - Thank you very much, that's great, thank you for taking the time to vote, enjoy the rest of your day

Any more than that should only be as a result of direct questions from the voter

Well that's how I've always done it anyway!!

They’re always there. No need to be rude and dramatic about it. Have you not voted before??

Yes, absolutely.

It's not for political gain. They check the numbers against the electoral role and make sure they don't knock on your door later. It saves you having to answer the door after you've voted. All the parties do this to some degree, and if there's more than one party out there then they share the numbers.

I was nobbled by one today (is always Lib Dem round here). Explained that I'd love to give them my vote but the party had made it clear that it wasn't welcome. They looked confused so we had a chat about the whole gender identity debate and why I objected to the Lib Dem position. She is either a v good actress or had no idea at all where the party stood on the issue. I don't understand how someone actively canvas for a party without understanding their manifesto