Have you spoilt your ballot? A thread to indicate numbers

@Chersfrozenface The voting paper should be in a separate sealed envelope so if your ID form is invalid, then the vote envelope is set aside still unopened.

You are informed that your ID form was invalid without anyone seeing your vote as it's still sealed. All voting papers are kept as you say, including those unopened ones. But those should remain unread, to my knowledge. That's why there are different categories for invalid as mentioned earlier in the thread.

In theory, I suppose, someone could open both your ID form and your ballot paper at the same time, but my view is that may well fall under ballot tampering and potentially be a criminal offence. Possibly, under s.65 of the Representation of the People Act 1983

It's the ID ONLY that's checked, NOT what is in the separate sealed ballot envelope accompanying it.

I suppose if you got a letter saying that your vote was void for ID and you got in touch with them saying "I never sent in a postal ballot" then there would be a criminal investigation. I'm not sure what happens at that point. as I've no experience of it.

No system is a hundred per cent foolproof I know. If you are interested, here is what Rochdale's site says.
www.rochdale.gov.uk/elections-voting/postal-voting/3
"Postal voting safety and fraud
Voting by post is safe and proven cases of electoral fraud are rare.
When voting by post, you should mark your vote on the ballot paper in secret, and seal the envelope yourself.
Verifying your identity when you vote by post
When you apply for a postal or proxy vote, you'll be asked to give your date of birth and signature. When you return your postal voting pack, these details are checked to confirm your identity, which makes postal voting safe.
It’s important that you read the postal voting instructions carefully before you vote by post, and provide the right information in the right place.

Half of all postal ballots rejected at the last UK general election had a signature or date of birth that did not match that given in the initial application. One common mistake people make when voting by post is to provide the date of completion, rather than their date of birth.
Your signature and date of birth are separated from your ballot paper before its looked at or counted, so giving this information will not affect the secrecy of your vote."

Posted this previously on this (or another thread?)- so re-posting in case useful if considering spoiling your ballot:
www.votenone.org.uk/protest_votes_count.html

That may be counted as a vote. There are some examples online of spoilt votes and even a negative comment next to a candidate's name was counted as a vote.

If you make any mark that is not a cross neatly within the confines of the box it counts as a vote for the candidate, unless it gives information that could identify you as an individual.

So if you want to spoil your ballot - or render it invalid as the official term has it - write in a blank space or across the whole thing.

And yes, the penis thing - Glyn Davies in Montgomeryshire.

I was thinking about posting a thread along these lines a while back, but got worried it was a crime to influence voters or something!

I'm thinking a simple "woman = adult human female" if I spoil. Still deciding, as my preferred candidate isn't TWAW but is Labour (also isn't clearly against this nonsense either).

(I'm tempted to write in the Labour box, although remember an incident some years back where someone drew a penis in a specific box and it was eventually decided it counted as a vote for that candidate!)

Further to the above, this is a paragraph from the instructions for Electoral Registration Officers.

"After an election, EROs are required to notify postal voters if their postal vote has been rejected as a result of failing the personal identifier checks and to inform them of the specific reason for the rejection."

https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-local-returning-officers-administering-a-police-and-crime-commissioner-election-england-and/absent-voting/receiving-and-opening-postal-votes/process-opening-postal-votes/preparing-a-record-those-postal-votes-have-failed-identifier-checks

So the ERO and their staff must be able to link a particular ballot paper with the voter, in order to notify them.

@RantyRantington When you vote in person, there is a mechanism for linking you to your electoral choice.

When a ballot paper is issued it is torn from the book of counterfoils, endorsed and given to the voter. But the voter’s registration number is written on the counterfoil, which has the same serial number as the ballot. So a voter can be linked to a particular ballot paper.

The ballot papers and counterfoils are supposed to be stored separately and destroyed after a year.

Are you absolutely sure that the voter's registration number isn't written on the counterfoil of the ballot paper before it is posted out to you?

Every time I receive a flier from the SNP, Greens, Libdems and Labour, I shred it, put it in an envelope with a 'Respect My Sex' note and post it back to their offices. Unlike the SNP, I even pay for my own stamps. Not sure if they take notice but it makes me feel better!

Not in the polling station, but taking a picture of your paper in your own home isn't an offence. I'd not post online until after the election just to be on the safe side.

The side of the ballot paper with the candidates on is anonymous, but if you turn it over you will find that there is a unique number on it, bar code and QR code, along with your constituency and date of election

They aren't traceable to your name and address, just for fraud reasons. Your ballot paper was randomly allocated and posted to you in a generic envelope so the number isn't traceable to you. As long as you put your ballot paper and signature paper in the separate envelopes provided as per advice with the ballot.

However your social media is traceable if you put it online, and bear in mind that
there are offences relating to intimidation and bribery of voters and candidates or their agents. Sounds daft I know, but given there are people already frothing about spoiling a vote on here, there will be those in their Mum's spare room with nothing to do but police social media.

So no offering anyone a Tunnocks to put a sticker on their ballot, or some plonker will be making a complaint.😉

Woking are on the case! Working closely with Surrey Police - those bold defenders of Rights for Women. What could possibly go wrong?
https://www.woking.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/elections-and-voting/elections/electoral-fraud-and-offences

Ok thanks. I'm definitely putting a load of stickers on mine!

I think inside a polling station is totally confidential, so you can't have photos being taken. Your kitchen table, not so much!

I put a selection of stickers on mine. It looked good! Didn't take a photo though.

I looked this up a couple of weeks ago. You are not allowed to take any photos inside polling stations, but I couldn’t find any direct prohibition on images of postal ballots.

I wonder what I’ve missed!

@Appalonia

I don’t know for sure but I think almost definitely not before the election. And probably not afterwards.

Quick question, are you allowed to take a photo of your spoiled ballot paper and put it online? I think you're probably not but I'm not sure! Does anyone know?

I don't think Streeting is enough to hold all the others back, sadly. Plus I'm not sure that he's totally on board either.

I think I am going to have to. Starmer and Rayner have made it quite clear their intentions and the party line. I think Streeting gets it now.

@RantyRantington

From the language used re voting I'm thinking that poster is in New Zealand.
'Nuff said.

😂 No. Are you also making assumptions? Along with silly ones about New Zealand?

I've been trying to find out the best way to clearly spoil my ballot- if I do decide to do that. I was looking up protest voting, to make it clear it would be a protest vote and not misread and found this site.
Just in case it's helpful for anyone else considering this option:

www.votenone.org.uk/protest_votes_count.html

Only heard a snippet of Jane from London on the tv news.
Thank you Jane.
Didn't hear what old flannel Keir came back with, but thanks @AutumnCrow confirming that not much changed, even to a super direct question .

I was thinking of lending my vote my local Labour candidate whom I know personally and actually like as a person.

But after Keir Starmer's revolting performance on radio today (toward 'Jane from London') I'll be spoiling my ballot and telling him why.

From the language used re voting I'm thinking that poster is in New Zealand.
'Nuff said.

I’ve just emailed my local Labour councillor, depending on his response I may spoil my ballot.

I don't know how you can confuse an entire countries voting system and then gave the audacity to tell us to vote.

Not your business, not a soul on here will believe a word you say now. You've proved you know nothing but like scolding.

@RantyRantington

To the pp who picked me up re my vote, I'd assumed you to be a Brit abroad when answering you earlier.

You don't understand our voting system at all it now seems, so your knowledge of how the ballot count goes, isn't based on what happens in England Wales Scotland and Northern Ireland.

I don't think I'd ever feel it my place to interrupt a discussion on or offline tell the women of another country, how they should be voting, even within these isles.

I'm a dual citizen. I have never told anyone how to vote or who to vote for - simply that they should actually vote.