to ask if you've voted for a Police Commissioner yet?

[grovel]

I have. Not a very exciting experience.

[stargirl1701]

No. I live in Scotland. We're not getting them. Instead we are getting one police force for the entire country. Not sure when it starts mind you.

[ontheedgeofwhatever]

We went at 4pm and there was a queue!! A small queue but from what has been said here that was unusual

[Scholes34]

DH was up at 5.00 am today, as he's involved in running the whole thing in our area. He won't be back until about 2.00 am. Do go and vote, if only to spoil your paper, to make my DH and others like him feel all their efforts over the past few weeks - finalising the register, printing ballot papers, looking for polling stations, employing all the poll clerks and presiding officers, carrying out relevant training - are worth something.

Thank you!

[zlist]

I hadn't and wasn't going to (DH the same) but after seeing this thread I made the effort to have a look online and make a decision (independent - the only one of six candiates with any policing experience and the only independent candidate who had bothered to provide any information. Quite an easy choice really!). I will be dropping our postal votes off at the polling station shortly...

[grovel]

This is an interesting thread.

We are replacing Police Authorities with individuals.

Who sat on Police Authorities?

Most police authorities have 17 members:

Nine local Councillors appointed by the local Council
Eight independent members selected following local advertisements, at least one of whom must be a magistrate

OK, so a majority were politicians - the rest were appointed. No-one ever voted these people into the role.

I'm inclined to like replacing an unelected committee with an elected individual. I'm told (this is anecdote) that most Chief Constables held their Police Authorities in (disguised) contempt. They were talking shops which never gave clear direction and often gave conflicting advice.

We just don't seem to have worked out how to arrange a fair and, preferably apolitical, election.

[TennisFan42]

I also think it's important to use my vote but disagree with this election so me and DH are going to go this evening and spoil our papers.

[BadgersBottom]

Your name suggests Saltdean to me, BB - I can see why you might think that but no - further west, borderline bandit country!!

[bumasbigasthetv]

I have. I voted for the two that bothered to campaign and provide information.

[ontheedgeofwhatever]

charminglyodd they WILL read it. When the votes are counted,any spoilt or questionable ballot papers are pulled out and towards the end candidates and their agents are called over and asked to agree that a paper should either be rejected as spoilt or should be counted as a valid vote.

Of course if you have only 1 independent candidate they may even try to argue that you've cast a valid vote for them (though they probably won't succeed )

[AlwaysHoldingOnToStarbug]

I'm in Sussex too and have narrowed it down to 2 candidates - not Tory, Lib Dem or UKIP. Just have to wander down to vote now, and try and persuade DH to vote too.

They were expecting such a low turn out they didn't shut my kids school, just used a side office as the polling station.

[IvorHughJanusAndABulgingSack]

Yes, I have. We have two Independent candidates standing so voted for both. I don't agree with the idea but if it has to happen it should be an Independent heading it. The police are a non-political organisation, that was the whole point of the 'new' police as designed by Robert Peel, and should stay that way.

[LineRunner]

I forgot to vote on my way to work and on the way back (walk past the bloody polling station).

Out of guilt, I will go and vote later. Maybe the polling clerks will be pleased to see someone later on. Shall I take chocolate?

Tempted to draw big willy, but will vote for the one and two most against privatisation of the Police. (Not the Tory, then.)

[Molepomandmistletoe]

I ripped mine up and posted it back to them with a note explaining what I thought of the idea and to count it as a spoilt vote.

[colleysmill]

Interestingly one of our local candidates has failed to add any spiel to the Choose your PCC website - he didn't get my vote

[Aman1975]

I voted because , living in Bedfordshire, there is a right wing extreme nutter standing here and my vote cancels out one of theirs. Check the candidates in your area on line, you might have a nutter standing where you are. The lower the turnout the better the extreme parties have of getting in.

[LineRunner]

Agreed, Aman.

[GrendelsMum]

I've been there - voted for the two people with experience, which sounded like a good starting point for the job ...

[BoakFace]

I voted first choice independent and second choice conservative.

Very empty polling station - they said that only 60 of the registered 700 or so had been.

[colleysmill]

Do they need to have a minimum turnout to make the vote valid?

[LineRunner]

No, I don't think so, colley.

[Worley]

what time does voting finish ? I forgot about it till seeing this ..

[Bogeyface]

I have objected by not voting, my theory being that if the turnout is so incredibly low they will realise what a total waste of time and money it all is and they wont bother again.

[BartletForTeamGB]

Just been, but it was empty.

I voted to avoid the English Democrats (Everything is the fault of the Scots and immigrants) chap winning.

[LineRunner]

10pm close of polls.

[Worley]

I voted. poll woman said it had been a really low turn out..