I dont want to vote in pencil this year

[Marney]

When i voted locally last time we were given pencils to vote is this the norm is their any reason you might be stopped from using a biro .It really worried me last time because I thought it might give the local labour people the chance to cheat .I am taking a biro this time

I always postal vote and the form says you MUST use black ink.

Apparently, they are not just pencils, they are Shaw's ballot pencils

According to this forum they are indelible...

Bit of a dodgy OP - why would the returning officer be working on Labour's behalf?

We have pens now in Northern ireland - like the argos ones

How do you think the local Labour people - or election workers from any party for that matter - are going to cheat? The whole process is very carefully scrutinised. You need not worry.

I have sent off my postal vote and used blue ink! Couldnt find anywhere on the form about colour, hope I havent spoilt it!

Thanks sounds better in Ireland !!I would feel better if it happened here.I do worry because even our local papers seem to back labour you cant even put the labour leaders name on your say if you want to make a comment on a letter or anything.It automatically comes up with something like you have used an unsuitable or unacceptable word!!They also seem to some people here apart from just me to be quite devios.I also feel like if its labour supporters sat in the little shed thing on their own on the usually empty car park near us next to the pub there is never usually anyone else around when you go so what is to stop them changing some .Anyway thanks I will take a pen though this year

Thanks sounds better in Ireland !!I would feel better if it happened here.I do worry because even our local papers seem to back labour you cant even put the labour leaders name on your say if you want to make a comment on a letter or anything.It automatically comes up with something like you have used an unsuitable or unacceptable word!!They also seem to some people here apart from just me to be quite devios.I also feel like if its labour supporters sat in the little shed thing on their own on the usually empty car park near us next to the pub there is never usually anyone else around when you go so what is to stop them changing some .Anyway thanks I will take a pen though this year

I;m sure I have always used a pencil when I have voted. Comes out very black such that if you did try and rub it out it would be very obvious you'd done it.

My immediate response to this was to laugh at the idea that Labour (and only Labour) would somehow be using pencils for voting as a way of changing the votes, but...for the sake of being helpful, every time I've voted, in both government and local elections, it's always been using a pencil. They're attached to the booths themselves so you may want to ask at your polling station if you are allowed to use a pen if you do want to, as otherwise they might count it as a spoiled vote [don't know, but the way they do things with votes is very particular in some ways].