AIBU to ask you to please ONLY fold your voting paper in half!

[BurnTheBlackSuit]

I am counting tonight, and whilst I get paid more the long the count goes on, it is so annoying when people have folded their votes into 4 or 8 or made a swan out of it before posting it in the ballot box.

Please please, just a simple fold in half - one crease- there is absolutely no need to do any more folds than this!!!

I was told to fold mine twice otherwise it wouldn't fit in the box.

It wouldn't fit in the box when folded once, I tried.

I was told to fold it twice. It wouldn't fit in otherwise.

The Clerk folded mine once before handing it to me. She asked me not to fold it again just add my cross fold it as she had done and put it in the box.

Are you my Clerk BurnTheBlackSuit?

I'm Irish so not voting today but at our last referendum, DH and I were the only voters in the station. I went to put my once-folded vote in the box and one of the presiding gentlemen told me to fold it again. So I did (although it would have fitted anyway, the hole was huge).

When DH came out of the booth, he had only folded his once as well, so I said 'you need to fold that again' and the other presiding gentleman muttered embarrassedly that actually, he didn't have to.

I don't know WHAT was going on there.

Glad you get paid relating to the length of the count - I did some years back and it was a fixed fee however long it took. And I folded my paper once this morning.

Ooh, so my postal vote will be counted first!

Oh! Mine came pre-folded. I just followed that.

pixie

I wish I had seen a thread like this before the Scottish election where we got one really long ballot paper - I could have origami-ed something really interesting out of that.

If I could do origami, that is.

Found the report from 2015 election

Our polling station is telling people to fold twice.

I vote-counted for the '97 election (in retrospect, the wrong one to do my civic duty for, given all my friends were living it up in the pubs and cheering the change of wind) as a student - a friend of a friend said, just come along to the count early and you'll get signed up. Not sure there was much more to it than that - I wasn't vetted or anything. Anyway, it was a long night! Back then I think we got £30 for the first 3 hours and £10 if we went on longer.

Once folded was ok, the papers sort of self-stacked as you put them in the relevant piles. Any more than one fold, and the piles became destabilised very quickly, and that was bloody annoying! I also got an insight into the many ways in which it is possible to spoil one's vote, intentionally or by accident.

I can still remember the face of the lady who sat opposite me, watching my every move as I counted and piled. (All parties have representatives who sit and monitor the counting.)

I voted very early this morning, just after 7am ( I thought I was on a school trip with DC2 today and didn't want to drag all three DC after school).

I was given the paper folded but told I had to post it into the ballot box unfolded. It felt wrong, as it made it impossible to post without someone (if they were looking) seeing which way I voted.

pixie coming from the north-west, could the person have been Welsh? Common term for those of Welsh descent.

I'm going to fold a little boat now....

Why does green ink give you all a laugh?

I just contacted the elections person in the borough council and asked (before the GE). I am now on the list and invited to them all :) Most other people are retired - either ex-council employees or recruited via the WI! Next time your area is going to have any kind of election, just contact and ask, they probably have space, especially for PCC or local election counts. It is brilliant to be part of it, which is why I signed up, and the pay is very good too. Also, it is lots of fun! It's amazing how much you bond with people at 3am :)

No, I don't work in a polling station. And, in my area, those working at polling stations can't take part in the count this time- because we have to be in the counting room at 9.15 for a briefing and those in the polling stations (obviously) can't leave until after 10pm.

In all seriousness, I am not sure if origami would make your vote identifying and therefore invalid. The rules only talk about identifying marks, not identifying folding. If I find any origami, I may suspect its a Mumsnetter...

Hmmm how A paper aeroplane

• about a

Burn do you get paid by the hour? I just get paid a set amount?

Mine was pre folded in half too

I'm doing the overnight count - I'll get £16 per hour plus the day off tomorrow as I work for the LA. Did postal vote opening this morning and got paid £7.20 per hour plus time in leiu at work. We are desperate for counters most years for the elections - so I'd say email your local elections office if you fancy doing it.

Mine came pre folded so i just ticked the box and then posted it.

i do postal voting. but i was distracted and in a hurry and ripped the bit off the other bit that is meant to stay attached. will it be void OP?