Sheffield Central - Did queues put you off?

[RJK3 10]

People who blame the voters for this are plain ignorant.

 

Personally I couldn't wait around when I first went to Ranmoor polling station as my wife was ill and I didn't want to leave her. The queue was all the way down the street, with hundreds ahead of me - and the line barely moved in the time I was there. Students ahead of me were saying how their friends in the middle of the queue had already been there more than an hour, so god knows how long I would have been there. I couldn't afford to leave my wife by herself, so I returned home.

 

I came back at 9pm, and this time was directed to a 'residents' queue, but still was unable to vote. I eventually left at 10:20pm.

 

Realistically, you shouldn't have to wait much longer than 15-20 minutes to vote. Also, I've never had to walk more than 5 minutes to get to a polling station (in a city), but that is a minor point. I've worked at polling stations in Australia, and never seen a busy area staffed by just 4 people!

 

This failure was seeded long ago when they registered too many people to one small polling station. It could have been fixed long before the election, and even on the day by properly mobilising staff from less busy polling stations. You just can't run a busy polling station with less than ten staff effectively!

 

Lastly, there should be flexibility in voting at other polling stations if another polling station is unreasonably busy. People tried to go to other polling stations due to the extraordinary queues at Ranmoor, but were turned away. They check the electoral rolls afterwards for people voting twice, and so it would be no different and shouldn't be a problem.

Edited May 7, 2010 by RJK3

[shelleyis 10]

Nothing I've heard anywhere suggests that (a) Paul Scriven believes the result unfair, or (b) anyone was unable to vote in Sheffield Central.

 

I realise this is some time on from the election now but I'm trying to find out if there are any grounds to re do the Sheffield Central vote esp as there were only 165 votes in it.

 

In response to the above I've found this and think that it would be really good if we couldl find 'Mike' or even his daughter or others who may have been denied their vote and at what polling station...

 

• 81. At 10:38pm on 06 May 2010, Mike wrote:

My daughter tried to vote in Sheffield Central, but the turnout was so great, that after standing for hours in the rain until 10pm a large number of voters were turned away. This is outrageous and is hardly likely to encourage anyone to vote in the future!

The resources were swamped by the number who wanted to vote, but surely someone could have predicted this?

 

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/haveyoursay/2010/05/have_the_parties_done_enough.html

 

So, I'm still interested in those that couldn't vote (in Sheffield Central), not in long queue stories at this stage.

[Longcol 614]

I realise this is some time on from the election now but I'm trying to find out if there are any grounds to re do the Sheffield Central vote esp as there were only 165 votes in it.

 

In response to the above I've found this and think that it would be really good if we couldl find 'Mike' or even his daughter or others who may have been denied their vote and at what polling station...

 

• 81. At 10:38pm on 06 May 2010, Mike wrote:

My daughter tried to vote in Sheffield Central, but the turnout was so great, that after standing for hours in the rain until 10pm a large number of voters were turned away. This is outrageous and is hardly likely to encourage anyone to vote in the future!

The resources were swamped by the number who wanted to vote, but surely someone could have predicted this?

 

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/haveyoursay/2010/05/have_the_parties_done_enough.html

 

So, I'm still interested in those that couldn't vote (in Sheffield Central), not in long queue stories at this stage.

 

Don't think anyone in Sheffield Central has claimed they were unable to vote.

 

"Mike" may simply have got his facts wrong and his daughter was in fact in Hallam?

[NorthernStar 11]

I walked into my polling station at about 2.30pm and was the only person there, as the lady looked through her lists for my name I was actually feeling a little disappointed and just how few peoples names had been checked off and thought it was due to voter apathy. How wrong I was.

[Longcol 614]

I walked into my polling station at about 2.30pm and was the only person there, as the lady looked through her lists for my name I was actually feeling a little disappointed and just how few peoples names had been checked off and thought it was due to voter apathy. How wrong I was.

 

To be honest if you voted in Central you'd have found the turnout pretty low in some parts - especially with large swathes of social housing. I voted after 7 and when they looked for my name, I noticed only one other name on the 3 roads adjoining mine (all housing association) had been crossed off. This is pretty much situation normal at elections.

[sheffix 10]

Even if a re-run was held and the result changed would it affect anything to have another condem mp?

[nightrider 13]

I think that he would be entitled to call for a by-election in the Sheffield Central seat if there were problems with people being denied their vote. He only lost by 160 votes and it sounds like there could have easily been more than 160 people turned away.

 

Also interesting I used to be in Central and this time my constituency was altered to Hallam, as were many others I know. I voted lib dem in Hallam where it did not matter given the huge majority. If the constituency boundaries had not been changed lib dems might have taken central given it was only lost by 160 votes. I wonder how many other lid dem voters constituency was changed from central to hallam this election?

[Longcol 614]

Well I've done a trawl of t'internet and apart from "Mike" the only other mention of people being unable to vote in Central is in the Daily Telegraph

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7696873/General-Election-2010-Probes-into-fraudulent-polling-results-mar-election.html

 

In Sheffield Central, where there were also chaotic scenes, Paul Scriven, the Liberal Democrat candidate, lost by just 165 votes to Labour's Paul Blomfield,

 

Students in Sheffield were told to wait until "permanent residents" had voted before they got their chance – and the delay meant that it was too late for many to cast their votes.

 

however as the "permanent residents" story relates to Ranmoor in Hallam constituency the Telegraph have either got their facts wrong - or by running two unconnected facts were trying to stir things.

[Longcol 614]

Also interesting I used to be in Central and this time my constituency was altered to Hallam, as were many others I know. I voted lib dem in Hallam where it did not matter given the huge majority. If the constituency boundaries had not been changed lib dems might have taken central given it was only lost by 160 votes. I wonder how many other lid dem voters constituency was changed from central to hallam this election?

 

The boundary changes worked in the Lib Dems favour.

 

Central gained Broomhill and Walkley which have Lib Dem councillors and lost Burngreave which is Labour.

[kidley 48]

Hi

This is the Sheffield Central result for 2005

 

Labour: 13978 (46.6%)

Liberal Democrat: 9171 (30.6%)

Conservative: 3165 (10.6%)

Other: 3662 (12.2%)

Majority: 4807 (16%)

 

 

Before Boundary changes

[Guest sibon]

I realise this is some time on from the election now but I'm trying to find out if there are any grounds to re do the Sheffield Central vote esp as there were only 165 votes in it.

 

 

 

.

 

I had no problem whatsoever voting in Central. I don't know of anyone else who did either.

 

I would be interested in a re-run though. I agonised for ages between Labour and Lib Dem. Clegg's subsequent climb into bed with Cameron, has spared me that dilemma in future. I bet I'm not alone:)

 

Go on, Lib Dems, campaign for a by election in Sheffield Central.

[Longcol 614]

Also interesting I used to be in Central and this time my constituency was altered to Hallam, as were many others I know.

 

Out of interest where do you live? Struggling to think of anywhere in Central that went to Hallam.