Unprecedented numbers of spoiled ballots delay council election counts

[theOtherPamAyres]

I understand that every single spoiled ballot had to be individually scrutinised and adjudicated upon, last night. There were tens of thousands of them - further details are awaited

Interestingly, the papers have assumed that all spoiled ballots were about Brexit. Indeed, there are a lot of ballot papers shared on social media showing just that with the hashtag #spoilyourballot.

But I reckon that this one came from a politically 'homeless' woman.

The vote share as a percentage almost certainly won't, given that the Brexit Party are going to be standing in every region and they're polling significantly. The numbers may well.

(Apologies for typos btw).

I never understood the point of spoiling ballots. In the Australian prebecite on gay marriage people who were pro-gay marriage were spoiling their ballots because they were anti-plebiscite. Obviously there was still a clear majority but if enoughofthem did so then gay marriage could have been put off for another decade 🤷‍♀️

I spoiled my ballot in the way shown in your OP as I wasn't sure how to do it. First time ever (20 years of being Lib Dem, through and through!) and I wanted to make it clear that I believed none of the parties on the ballot represented me (only the four main parties in my ward and, as per usual, Labour won with over 4 times the number of votes of the nearest candidate).

I wish I'd thought to write exactly why though and will do so for future.. unless there is an Independent who stands up for women (not sure how likely that is!).

So so bleak out there politically for women though!

I never understood the point of spoiling ballots

There isn't one.

In your opinion, LassOfFyvie.

But in my opinion: yes - there is a big and positive point in spoiling one's ballot paper. Because your spoiled ballot paper DOES get scrutinised, both by polling officials and by the electoral candidates involved, and their support framework.

The number of spoilt ballots wasn't reported, but voter numbers were ludicrously low.

Less than 19% in some wards.

www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/your-council/elections-and-voting/city-council-election-thursday-2nd-may-2019

On mine I wrote

None of the above
Sex not gender
Women don't have penises

For the second year running.

Handy hint, the pencils are scratchy and noisy, I take a pen with me, much quieter.

I wrote across all the lines ‘Someone whose party supports women’s sex-based rights - not gender’. That was great in an empty polling station with 2 DC observing and asking me why I was writing, what was I writing etc. etc.

I take a pen with me, much quieter.

Me too.

There was a notice that I read while I was queueing up for my ballot paper:
"pencils are provided for your convenience, but please feel free to use your own pen"

I was planning to spoil mine, but it turned out there was a WEP candidate, and I thought that was a clearer message about my priorities, even if they are on the fence about TWAW.

Are they on the fence? I thought they'd fully swallowed the kool aid. Might have to rethink my views on them.