Election Complaint Update

How can anyone influence your vote. All I would have said, curtly, Is I do not wish to discuss this further.

I have been a presiding officer at elections , and it it normally the voters who try to engage us in that type of conversation. We make no comment.

Is it under the " vote-fixing " that goes on Nonnie ?

rafichagran that is why we were so appalled. All my adult life I have voted and this is the first time I have come across this.

Ellan no, because I haven't seen that thread. It was one of the political ones and I saw some quite unpleasant posts directed at me.

Unfortunately Nonnie, unpleasant posts, often personal, are rather more often being posted on Gransnet I’ve noticed. It’s a sad indictment of the times we live in I suppose. I don’t like it at all, especially from people of mature age. I hope you weren’t upset by them.

It’s good to hear that the Electoral Office are looking into your problem. I hope it will be resolved satisfactorily.

Thanks Maddy. I think irritated is a better word than upset, probably because I have been here quite a long time and have seen it far too much to too many people. I really don't understand why there is a reason to post if you can't say anything useful or helpful. Over time I have noticed its the same people over and over again who do this and I feel very sorry for them. Yes, I'm glad they are looking into it but not sure there is anything much they can do. The man I spoke to said he was about to speak to the person concerned but I think it unlikely he will admit it. I will be happy to know that he has been told and will not try to do it again to anyone. Of course he didn't influence my vote but I wanted to stop him doing it to someone less strong minded than me.

Rafichagran and Ellen maybe before you start making snarky comments to Nonnie you should read the original thread. Not only was the behaviour of the official in the voting station illegal, many of the comments on GN when Nonnie started a thread on it were appalling and unnecessary. Many either did not get what Nonnie was upset about or were deliberately turning it into a political argument. Nobody in a position of electoral responsibility, irrespective of their political persuasion, should be making comments to voters during the voting process and Nonnie has quite rightly reported this to the returning officer who is now following up her complaint. Keep us updated Nonnie.

I was extremely surprised (and shocked) Nonnie

It's many years since I was a poll clerk and I was only in my early twenties then - but we never would have dreamt of passing any comment to the voters.

Was he the presiding officer? If so, even worse.

I do know that in our local polling station there is often someone sitting in the vestibule, at a desk, with lists and looking officious - but they are candidates or their canvassers.

Callistemon Not sure what his title was but he was the second person we spoke to. The first was the one we gave our names and address to and he was the one who handed out the papers.

GillT57 I didn't think the comments were sarky, not good at reading between the lines.

Thank you both for recognising the seriousness of the situation.

One of the poll clerks then, I would think.

Hi Nonnie. I remember being shocked by your OP and I am glad that you have taken the matter further. I'm sorry to see you had negative comments when you were only pointing out something that should never happen at the polls.

Sorry Nonnie I read
How can anyone influence your vote
and
Is it under the " vote-fixing " that goes on Nonnie ?
as snarky comments, maybe I was being over sensitive on your behalf in response to the barrage of criticism you got when you initially raised your concerns!

Thanks GillT I understand because of the growth of nastiness on GN recently. I hope you are wrong though

Caledonai14 I am getting used to it on certain threads because I am a Remainer which appears to make me a target for those who don't do reasonable debate but let's not go into that here on this nice thread. Just to be clear I am in no way suggesting that all those with a different EU view are like that.

I was not being sarky jIllt I meant what I said I would not let anyone influence my vote.
I have also been a presiding officer at general elections and if the poll clerks behaved in that way I would do something about it.
Also Gillt stop stirring. I do not spend my life on Grannet so did not see the OP. My reply was honest and stands. Your comments were not warranted.

rafichagran please don't be too hard on GillT I think she meant well. I suspect she saw my original post and all the nasty and sarcastic comments and thought she was seeing them again on here. I took your comments at face value but I can understand why she didn't.

Ok, I accept I did not see the OP,and what was said was in support of you. Trust me if I had seen this going on in the polling station Where I worked I would have done some thing about it. The person would have been left in no dought they had crossed a big line.

nonnie absolutely nothing surprises me these days, especially with the types of person that get attracted to that party.

What a HUGE kerfuffle about something or nothing.
Good grief. It's amazing what disturbs some people. Sensitive...or what.

Sorry, Gabriella but I believe that people who undertake such a role should follow certain ethics and behave in a professional manner.

I say that not knowing which party the officer was advocating the OP should choose.

That is absolutely not what a polling official should do.
I can easily imagine some people being influenced by a sneakily-placed comment, and if enough of them were influenced it could make a difference to the result.

People who think it's not important are missing the point.

Absolutely, Far North!

No Gabriella, whilst this behaviour probably wouldn’t influence any of us, or probably most people, the fact remains that it shouldn’t have happened because it’s against the rules, and also because there are some people who could have been influenced, especially from a person who appears to be official.

Well done Bonnie, for taking this forward. It doesn't matter how you intended to vote, this would break the voting rules. I hope you get a satisfactory outcome.

Thank you all, except the one who, as expected, has said something unpleasant. I am of the opinion that it is right to be 'disturbed' about an official doing something so blatantly wrong. It appears that all the rest support my moral standpoint.