indyref 14 - the one with the polling day

[StatisticallyChallenged]

Come on in, sit down, and chew your nails with us.

Yeah, the big polling companies will be doing them for sale to private business. They won't necessarily be right outside the polling station and they probably won't be made public, but there's a lot of money to be made in currency trading so they'll definitely be doing them.

The campaigns won't risk the repercussions of being discovered passing on exit poll information to third parties ahead of when it is permitted. And I can't imagine who else would be able to cover places to provide any results worth relying on.

I have voted, with DH, and we arrived with a couple of other Nos from the village, all of us staring down the Yes bloke (nutter from the hill - not because of his allegiance to Salmond but because he photographs parking and sends the photos to the police - something he only stopped when someone pointed out that photographing a primary school was perhaps not something that went down too well with his neighbours). Anyway, quite amusing to see him picketing the very primary school where he has been so rightly censored.

Some evidence at school from another adult that her child has been pressured a lot by other 16 year olds to vote "Yes" and she has found it really difficult. I think, in many ways, they are too young to vote because, while many of them are thoughtful and well-informed, some of them just go with what their friends are doing or what is "cool". No evidence that they are going one way or the other as I have completely avoided the issue but there has been some nastiness that never previously existed.

I would just like to say to all the people in Scotland that I hope you all have a peaceful day. I have no links to Scotland but I have read every post on every thread and because of all of you that have posted I understand the whole situation much more than I would of done. So thankyou for that. I hope we are still a United Kingdom tomorrow, but if not I hope you will all find peace and wish everyone well for the future. You have all done a sterling job on these threads.

My company have to stay neutral too, but similarly we are all talking about it, the majority voting no.

We're all very subdued

DP has just text to say his place is like a ghost town. It isn't that people aren't in it's just very very quiet

SolomanDaisy The value of the pound against the euro has risen over a cent in the past 24 hours. I'd guess from that that early exit polls are saying no.

That's interesting. Maybe a quick visit to a bankautomaat/kassa is in order. I voted by post as I knew I would most likely be out of the country today with work.

Found you, wow it went to 14 after all. Well done.

Weren't there a couple of polls showing no in the lead -just -last night?

No-one knows how long EU accession would take. The Spanish EU Minister estimated 5 years to apply, not to join, and I think he was right (and spoke with far more clarity and precision than any politician in Scotland has done).

This is why I can't understand so many EU citizens who are saying they are voting Yes. Our right to be here depends on EU membership. I know there has been talk about being able to take Scottish citizenship but dual citizenship is only possible for me if it is from another EU country so I couldn't take Scottish citizenship if Scotland is not in the EU unless I give up my German citizenship, which I won't because it gives me access to the rest of the EU. Not sure how other EU countries deal with dual citizenships but it might not be straightforward for other EU-expats in Scotland either.

Yes there were I think.

solopower1 your post towards the end of the thread is spot on.

Our votes are cast. DH teased me by saying it was yes and I burst into tears outside the Albert Hall until he said sorry ironically I could have come back earlier as meeting was cancelled! And cast my own thus avoiding any doubt. But then I would just be paranoid I ticked the wrong box so maybe it is as well.

Anyway thanks to cancelled meeting I am at a fascinating exhibition at the V&A called Disobedient Objects. It is all about signs and symbols and objects used as part of social unrest, protest, revolution and agitation for change. It is so pertinent. I am overly emotional today anyway but I am sure our referendum will be in any future show like this. Change is coming regardless of which way it goes. In the anonymity of London I can almost get excited.

Phaedra, Chelsy, Statistically, Annie and all the other no voters, if there's a yes majority - or even if there isn't - I've learnt a lot about politics in the UK, in particular scotland through 'engaging' with the debate about the referendum. My eldest DC is away at uni now so I have (slightly) more spare time than I used to. I am resolved to following the activities of our politicians much more closely than I used to and speaking out on any injustices I perceive. (Scottish governments, UK governments of whatever persuasion you have been warned!)

This has been a lesson in how easy it is for politicians to convincingly claim hopes as facts. I will try to be more active from now on.

livingzuid Anyway thanks to cancelled meeting I am at a fascinating exhibition at the V&A called Disobedient Objects.

For a moment I read that as an V&D, and got very confused!

I have voted, finally decided on No, however didn't feel very happy about it, in fact tears sprang to my eyes and I got a giant lump in my throat.

Out with friends last night, someone mentioned being embarrassed if Scotland is the first country ever to reject independence, I said maybe we should be proud of being the first to reject political independence in favour of a softer nationalism not restricted by politics. (i say that as someone who is extremely proud to be a Scot)

I keep thinking about old-fashioned Sci-Fi i.e.. Star Trek, where the vision of the future is of a pan - national federation retaining individual characteristics (even if Scottie's accent was dodgy!). I began to feel that a yes vote risked one type of Scottishness being seen as the right type and realised that in our present vaguer national set-up you can be any flavour of Scottish you like!

Saying that I am not happy with the status quo and think the debate should and will continue and that the issue of federalism/independence will not go away if No "wins", it will have been kicked into the long grass for a while but there are so many potential issues in the future, referendums on EU membership and the rise of UKIP for example, that it is bound to come back.

Sorry have not read the full thread but wanted to also say DH said the voting booth was quiet. We are in the middle of nowhere though! The irony is not lost on us of a Dutch national going in to essentially have two votes, but I trust him

In the meantime, amusement value for both camps is below:

metro.co.uk/2014/09/18/bjork-rewrites-declare-independence-to-back-yes-campaign-as-scotland-goes-to-the-polls-4873279/

Just back from the polling station (the Yes lot had blocked most of the path outside the hall with a massive stand thing, it just isn't on...) and feeling a mixture of anxiety, fear, sadness and trepidation.

chelsy There is a department store in the Netherlands with that name though!

wiggly there are to be honest too many referendums. What is Cameron thinking? Call a referendum for every single decision because the politicians across the country and I mean UK are utterly useless?

No regular exit polls because at an election exit polls are trying to calculate the swing from the last election. So no point with the referendum.

We've been out and voted (also after I went for a blood test IrnBru :) ) No queues but a steady stream of people. All very cordial.

Blooming dentist this afternoon though... meh.

wiggly I have often thought of old Star Trek this past fortnight! Nice to know I'm not the only one.

Had to tell a Yes campaigner known of old that I couldn't speak today. I feel angry and know I have to get over it.

Sounds like most people on this thread are no voters. Interesting. The only banners you see around in my area are YES. Ideally, the more you can squeeze on a single pane of glass, the better.

chocoluvva Thanks for that.

I did get a lot of adverse comments at the beginning, when these threads were dominated by Yes voters, who tried to portray me as the epitome of evil for daring to speak out. I accept that I can be a bit of a Rottweiler, but it has its advantages at times - I'm pretty confident I could make AS squirm if I ever got the chance to put a few detailed questions to him in person.

I think people in Scotland have possibly been a bit sheltered/disinterested in politics in recent years, and its been a switch off. Who can blame them. And the people who think everyone should vote the same way are in comparison more vocal. Or something like that!

Sir Chenjin Did you inform the presiding officer? They aren't allowed to do that.

DH thinks that independence shouldn't be decided on by referendum. He thinks the issue is far too complex for non-experts to be able to make an informed decision.
In the event of a yes majority he would like some sort of a vote on whether to accept the conditions of independence as negotiated.