To ask you do not leave voting until the last minute

[ForalltheSaints]

I cannot remember where it was in 2015 and perhaps 2017, but there was a big fuss made somewhere when a large number of people turned up to vote at about five to ten, and could not all vote as polling stations close exactly at 10.

AIBU to suggest you vote as early as you can tomorrow, as I would not want anyone to be denied the opportunity to vote who wants to? Some people are so used to being accommodated when they are late for things, but this is one where lateness is not allowed for, without exception.

That's not quite correct.

From the Electoral Commission:
"Polling must close at 10pm, but any eligible electors who at 10pm are in a queue at their polling station for the purposes of voting (whether that queue is inside or continues on outside the station) must be allowed to vote."

So as long as you are in the queue by 10pm, you should be allowed to vote. Giving yourself plenty of time to get to vote and voting early if you can, is still good advice though!

The problem is, if the Electoral Commission are wrong - or more likely the presiding officer doesn't follow that advice, then it's no vote time.

I can clearly recall in 2010 there were near riots at some polling stations as they started turning people away at 10 - despite their arriving well before.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/may/07/polling-queues-hundreds-unable-vote

The older I get, the less I trust anything or anyone, I'm afraid.

It's only when you can't cast your vote, you realise how worthless it is anyway.

If you’re in the queue at 9.59 you must be allowed to vote.

The training for presiding officers has changed since then, if you are in the queue at your polling station at 10pm you can vote.

OP this is fake news. It has been addressed thanks to previous cockups thankfully

I'm going straight from school run and before work, but I'd suggest if possible to go either before school (voting takes literally 2 mins) or after work, before you go home... x

I have worked for a LA for the past two years and it has been drilled in to us, if you are in the queue before 10pm you have to be able to vote.
If you are stopped by the presiding officer from doing so you should definitely complain.

Electoral fraud is a Labour specialty. Go and vote early.

If you’re in the queue at 9.59 you must be allowed to vote.

And if you're not ?

The training for presiding officers has changed since then, if you are in the queue at your polling station at 10pm you can vote.

See above.

With something as precious as the right - and ability - to cast my vote, then there aren't enough bibles in the universe for anyone to swear on to convince me to trust the above. No amount of assurances can be given for me to believe them enough to place my trust in them.

If you are denied your vote, it's : "Too bad, now do fuck off.". As the people denied their vote in June know only too well.

I'd much rather be a sad cynic who has just voted, than a trusting soul who'd just been turned away.

If you are stopped by the presiding officer from doing so you should definitely complain.

So you can get a complimentary pencil as a souvenir ? Small consolation if you couldn't vote.

One year I couldn't get to the polling station until about 9.45pm and they had already packed away - they had to scrabble around for a pencil and i had to lean on the piano in the corner of the hall.

Why I don't trust any assurances ...

www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/students-vote-general-election-cardiff-17400362

Hundreds of students in Cardiff won't be able to vote on Thursday's General Election due to an "admin error".

This does worry me. I was asked to work a long day shift tomorrow and because of the late notice, I was too late to apply for a postal vote. I need to be at work by about 7.10 (in order to find parking, change into scrubs etc) and therefore need to leave home before the polls open. My scheduled end of shift is 8pm but we all know how that goes in the NHS. I do usually finish up, change and leave the hospital by 8.30pm but it's not unheard of for us to still be around finishing notes or whatever and not get out until 9.15 / 9.30 - in which case it would be very tight to get home and be in line for 10pm.

Luckily I live in a very safe seat but still, I would like to vote and am very much hoping I get to. On my way home today though I did spy a full moon...!!!

You can apply for an emergency proxy, @ditsybag.

Thank you - I wasn't aware of that - will investigate!