Sheffield Central - Did queues put you off?

[Bonjon]

But the shambles should have been thought out better...

 

Whether or not it would have made any difference, the people had the right to vote, and place their "X" on the ballot paper against the candidate they wished to vote for.

 

The authorities in control of the ballot should have planned for a "worst-case scenario" and had sufficient numbers of people staffing the polling stations to cope with the numbers of people who wished to vote. As I understand it, the numbers staffing the polling stations was woefully inadequate, and some staff, apparently, were inexperienced, which added to the delays.

 

How much difficulties will it cause under the representation of the peoples act? Will people be able to call for a re-vote?

 

PS, I voted last week, using a postal vote.

 

TBH it was their Choice to leave it so late, they all knew the polling stations closed at 10, I dont see a big deal.

[alchresearch]

Exactly. You had 15 hours to make your vote. I find it hard to believe anyone couldn't find any time in this large window.

[Plain Talker]

TBH it was their Choice to leave it so late, they all knew the polling stations closed at 10, I dont see a big deal.

 

Firstly, you don't expect there to be stupid, two-hour-long queues, to do something as relatively simple as casting your vote.

 

Secondly, Some of those people had been queueing since 1930hours, at the polling station, and still found themselves the wrong side of the ballot box when the doors were shut at 2200hours. Others had returned a number of times to find the queues still down the street.

 

What about the people with child-care issues? would you have countenanced standing in the queue, for 2-hours-plus, in the slinging-down rain, with a squawking toddler, or a babe in arms? what about the people who work difficult shifts? the elderly or infirm who wanted to cast their vote in person, but who couldn't stand for long periods? (not everyone wants to use a postal vote)

[damo]

 

What about the people with child-care issues? would you have countenanced standing in the queue, for 2-hours-plus, in the slinging-down rain, with a squawking toddler, or a babe in arms? what about the people who work difficult shifts? the elderly or infirm who wanted to cast their vote in person, but who couldn't stand for long periods? (not everyone wants to use a postal vote)

 

Given the high turnout, maybe these people should go down this road in future.

[Bonjon]

Firstly, you don't expect there to be stupid, two-hour-long queues, to do something as relatively simple as casting your vote.

 

Secondly, Some of those people had been queueing since 1930hours, at the polling station, and still found themselves the wrong side of the ballot box when the doors were shut at 2200hours. Others had returned a number of times to find the queues still down the street.

 

What about the people with child-care issues? would you have countenanced standing in the queue, for 2-hours-plus, in the slinging-down rain, with a squawking toddler, or a babe in arms? what about the people who work difficult shifts? the elderly or infirm who wanted to cast their vote in person, but who couldn't stand for long periods? (not everyone wants to use a postal vote)

 

They were open from 7am, way before schools or nurserys turned in, I went before work to ensure I could vote.

 

People knew the rules, and left it too late.

 

Also to add, 99% of polling stations were fine, so I think they were setup correctley to handle the volume.

Edited May 7, 2010 by Bonjon

[Tony]

When was the last time that you had to queue at a polling station?

[mogwai84]

Exactly. You had 15 hours to make your vote. I find it hard to believe anyone couldn't find any time in this large window.

 

They found time... from all accounts people went at 7-8pm and the queues were enormous then.

 

Large queues at polling stations are unprecedented in recent times - this has been a major **** up by the electoral commission, with understaffed, under-equipped or inadequately run polling stations. It isn't the fault of those who turned up in the evening to vote.

[MrSkinner]

I voted at the Town Hall, no queues whatsoever.

[Tripitaka]

I queued for about an hour last night for the central seat. Got there about 7.30 ish - and before everyone asks why I left it that late, I caught the 6.11am train to Manchester in the morning and so polling stations not open, did a days work and got back on the 7pm train at Dore.

 

Had I known that I would be queueing for so long I would have definitely done a postal vote and will now be doing so in the future.

 

Whole thing was a shambles, but congrats to those that queued with the usual stiff upper lip and didn't make the poor people sorting out the voting slips etc the point of their ire as it wasn't their fault.

 

However, Mothersole (or whomever is responsible for the zimbabwe like scenes) should be put in stocks at the front of the town hall for all to let them/him know what a good job they did...

[kidley]

Hi

there maybe some faint excuse for queues, but absolutely none for running out of ballet papers