To think that your vote isn't actually secret?

[hellooooooomama]

Everyone has voted by now so hopefully won't put anyone off.

I watched very carefully while voting today. There is a number next to your name on a list, they write that number on a sheet next to the number of the ballot paper they give you.

How the hell is that a secret vote?!

BoysofMelody, that hasn't happened in Northern Ireland. "Large numbers of poorer people" here are not disenfranchised. At least not by the method of voting. I'd suggest that the refusal of the main stream parties, Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrats have pretty much done that effectively forcing people to vote on tribal lines when they rather vote for sensible parties.

So how does it work in NI if you don't have any photo ID?

BoysofMelody, no ID, no vote.

See my previous
With regard to ID, in Northern Ireland I refer you to

www.eoni.org.uk/Electoral-Identity-Card/Electoral-Identity-Card-FAQs

The following documents are accepted at polling stations as proof of identity:
A UK, Irish or EEA driving licence (photographic part) (provisional accepted)

A UK, Irish or EU passport (note: EU passports are not accepted at UK Parliamentary elections)

An Electoral Identity Card

A Translink Senior SmartPass

A Translink 60+ SmartPass

A Translink War Disabled SmartPass

A Translink Blind Person’s SmartPass

These documents are listed in legislation and no other forms of identity can be accepted.

The identification document does not need to be current, but the photograph must be of a good enough likeness to allow polling station staff to confirm the identity of the holder.

As you will see if you go to the link, an Electoral ID card is free.

As another Presiding Officer, agree with Piffpaffpoff.

JoshLymanJr anyone can apply to work the elections, provided they are over 18 and registered to vote themselves. You just need to contact the Electoral Services section of your council and ask to be put on the list. They contact you when an election is coming up and you can say YES/NO or take me off the list.

RE pencils, that is an historic thing because pens can and did leave an ink imprint when the ballot paper is folded over so can make the ballot spoiled as it may be not then obvious who was voted for. You can use pens if you like, but pencils are what we provide.

RE the identifying numbers, as previously covered this is purely a fraud prevention measure. At the close of poll these Corresponding number lists are sealed then kept separately from everything else, kept in a locked safe for I think 2 years? then incinerated. They can only be accessed in that time by a court order.

Hope everyone has confidence in our voting system. The best way to learn this stuff is to have a go at working an election. I also think it sets a really good example to your kids to see you involved xxx

I suppose this thread explains why people believe the talk of how many young people vote and who they vote for. It seems it is believed that the papers actually are correlated vote against name. And it is all done in a few hours.

Scary.

I thought it was common knowledge that Special Branch would trace people who voted for the Communist Party or BNP? If court orders are needed to open the list of ballot numbers, does that mean it's not actually true? I assumed there were bored admin staff at MI5 matching numbers after elections...

I thought it was common knowledge that Special Branch would trace people who voted for the Communist Party or BNP

Maybe it is common knowledge amongst tinfoil hat wearing conspiracy theory spouting whackjobs.

Over half a million racist idiots people voted BNP in the 2010 election. Have you any idea of the manpower I would take to match up every vote to a voter and then create a file for each?

As a Poll Clerk for the last 4 elections of various types I'm constantly amazed at how rude some of the voting electorate can be - nothing to do with the OP I know, sorry - and also how frighteningly ignorant of the process. We need to teach how the electoral system works to all students before they get to voting age, I don't mean just the 1st past the post bit but the actual physical process. I had to talk quite a few people through how to vote last week, not all of them young first timers either. Rudeness varied from "you can see my vote, how do I know you're not going to change it", "you're all corrupt", "easy day's work for you then" . Answers in order "I'm really not interested in how you vote", "I'm not a council/political employee, & corrupt how anyway", "no it's not an easy day, starts at 6am, finishes at 10.30, involves a great deal of concentration and dealing with idiots like you". Of course all I did was smile politely and try and educate!

Safety wise as others have said, the security is paramount and tight, you have to account for every scrap of paper, pencils are cheaper and less likely to be nicked and also don't blot, and like I said above, I'm not interested in your vote!

Given the massive fuck up we find ourselves in, does anyone seriously believe that there has been some massive M15 operation to diddle our votes?

MI5 not M15! Although it will not be picked up on their massive surveillance sweep of MN .... yet! Mwah! Ha ha!

Ok, daft question. How do you become a polling Clark or presiding officer? Do you work for the council doing an other job the rest of the time?

My local council advertised on their online vacancies. Once people get "in" they tend to stay for ages though as it is relatively well paid (although it is long, long days).