12.53 Comment moderation back on. Pathetic behaviour by the usual anonymongs.
12.07 Numbers voting in one of Fulham's biggest polling district - which is very Tory - are triple what they were in the first two hours of voting compared with 2004. This has to be good news for Boris.
11.57 I am taking comment moderation off for the rest of the day to ensure a live debate can take place. Please don't abuse the priviledge otherwise I will restore it.
11.49 Report from Honor Oak, SE23: "After being harangued every day for the past two weeks at the station by a gray-ponytailed, sandal and denim waistcoat wearing OAP handing out Ken leaflets, I went to vote this morning. No queue, no waiting. This is without question Labour turf. Very quiet.
11.37 Michael White seems to believe Boris is going to win.
11.31 A poll conducted by YouGov for TalkTalk reveals that 1 in 4 Londoners say they are unlikely to vote today, while 50% say they would be more likely if voting was available online.
11.05 Vicky Ford is hopeful the Conservatives are about to gain a presence on Cambridge City Council.
10.45 Overheard in a barbershop in Exeter: "I don't normally vote but I'm going to today. I want to give Brown a good kicking". Will this be the story of today?
09.18 Behind Blue Eyes reports on a huge turnout and the liberating experience of voting.
09.17 Huge Boris GOTV operation going on at London Bridge station. Is it happening at all main stations? Feedback please.
09.15 Hot rumour is that Lord Levy has been telling friends he has voted by post. And let's just say it isn't for Ken...
09.10 Huge turnouts at polling stations in Pimlico. And they don't look like Ken voters, I'm told
89 comments:
Ken's voters will still be in bed. They don't tend to get up till mid-afternoon.
Looks like Brown's tactic is to Blame it ALL on the 10p tax error, thus giving no credit to the Tories/Cameron. Then by the time of the General election He will have put the mistake right, so hang on in there and stand by Me .
09.10 Huge turnouts at polling stations in Pimlico. And they don't look like Ken voters, I'm told
What exactly do Ken voters look like?
they don't look like Ken voters
That is what my first reaction to my queue was, but then I remembered that lots of normally sensible people support The Marxist so now I'm not so sure.
Brown will always have an excuse and those who chose to live in the New Labour parallel Universe will continue to do that.
Its up to the rest of us to really get angry and mad at the way they are betraying our country. The monster client state and unreformed public bodies are the millstone round our neck as the economic flood heads our way.
hi
labour candidate in South Wales - not connected with Boris V Ken other than as an interested observer
turn out here slow - heavy rain showers affecting early voters i expect. started delivering dont forget to vote labour leaflets at 0545 and my count will not finish until past midnight long day -but also a long day for the staff at polling stations who are doing both the polling stations and the count.
will update later if time allows!
Any news on the relaunch yet?
I've texted Iain already, but my impression (inner London) is that turnout is EXTREMELY heavy - General Election-like. 60% plus I'd say. What this means for the result is anyone's guess but the Polls are likely to be less acxcurate this time round, I think.
They don't look like Ken voters?
You mean none of them was Polly Toynbee with a clothes peg on her nose?
Lord Levy has voted by post? That'll get counted as one for Ken, then.
As some-one who lived in Pimlico until recently I can tell you that there are two distinct populations there. Firstly there is the middle class bit – strongly Tory and then there’s the Council Estates – strongly labour. What seems unusual in this election is the degree of dissatisfaction with Ken among the council estate inhabitants. A close friend of mine from Pimlico who has always voted Labour (or Socialist Workers Party in his enthusiastic youth) tells me that he’s had enough of Ken and will be voting for Boris. This sentiment was echoed by several other people who are similarly traditional Labour voters.
How many of these will end up voting for Boris is unclear. Many may decide simply to abstain, which is good for Boris, while others may succumb to their tribal loyalties and vote for Ken.
Pray God they decide to vote for Boris.
Steady stream of people at West Finchley polling station when I voted at 0830.
I voted in my local council elections (Cobham in Surrey) at 07:15.
Quite a few suited / city types like me voting before coming in to the smoke to work.
I was quite surprised as I thought that very very few would be there right from the start.
Not yet sure what this may forebode.
My polling station in Brent was surprisingly busy at 7.20am...
Fulham Library polling station very busy. Not much sign of a newts!
Can I ask a question of some of you experienced election afficianados? (?sp)
Is there a consensus wisdom on who votes when on polling day e.g. Is it generally thought that more Conservative voters turn out early before work or on the morning school run? (Or obviously the converse case: do Labour supporters vote early, in the accepted wisdom). Is there thought to be a particular ebb & flow to a polling day that relates to party support? Sorry if this has been discussed before.
spotters guide to London voters:
Labour voters - black working class
Tory voters - white middle class
Lib Dem voters - white middle class with a funky hat (she) or sandals (he)
BNP - white working class wearing a cloth cap and tattoos
How can you tell someones voting intention just by their appearance? Did you ask them? Well did you?
Anon 10.04 am "Steady stream of people at West Finchley polling station when I voted at 0830."
That is incredible. Who'd have thought it - a steady stream of people at a polling station?
Twitcher - BNP: baseball cap, surely
I was at one of the Finchley Polling stations with the late ballot papers this morning. We are running full telling operation and GOTV in Finchley.
Reaction to Boris flyers at the tube this morning very good- most people supportive or taking a leaflet.
I think all the Ken voters are waiting for Jeremy Kyle and Channel 4 Racing to finish before they vote!
Cleethorpes Rock
Yes, high turnout is good for Ken.
Where I live - which was a Tory seat for decades - the Tories haven't even bothered to campaign. Lib dems have done a bit but Labour have been working hard.
Not a secret ballot.
Your voter number is being writen on a form alongside the reference number for each voting form.
Boris is attracting first time votes for the Tories. In my office a handful of committed Labour and Liberal voters have given their second preference to Boris (after Paddick).
- They all said they hesitated but still went the right way. But it would take more for them to get over "feeling dirty" and vote Tory in a General
"Not a secret ballot. Your voter number is being writen on a form alongside the reference number for each voting form."
That is standard practice. Election officials have always been able to establish who you voted for. It is 'secret' in the sense that no member of the general public can do so.
anonymous @ 11.14 am:
that is standard practice in parliamentary and local elections.
I'm a LD first-time London voter from a seat in the Westcountry where I wouldn't vote Tory if my life depended on it. Just decided to vote Boris 2nd pref. Its amazing the things a really crappy tube system will make me do.
Turnout in Tower Hamlets seemed lowish (but then it always is around here) at 9am.
There is a lad in my office who is a first-time voter and a member of one of Ken's coveted minorities who I didn't dare ask how he had voted. He volunteered that he had Backed Boris because he couldn't stand Ken. Good to see people voting with their brain not with their identity.
A lot of people have discussed second-preference voting and its influence on the result.
No one has considerd what might happen in the following eventuality: the Conservative vote is up + benefits from Labour's secular decline + 'mid-term blues' + a loathing for Ken + a persnality-based vote for Boris.
Could this bring the first preference vote over the 50% mark?
Jut finished my first stint of the day at polling station. Polling staff told us at 10.30am that so far the turn out was 10%.
I've just read the Michael White article and it's about as funny as toothache.
Where do self-important Guardianistas go to get their sense-of-humour bypasses?
There wasn't a sausage at the Prince's Ward in Lambeth at 7.15 this morning.
You don't mean to think the socialists don't get up early, do you? I thought they were all "hard working families".
Mind you, to walk through the Ethelred Estate to get to old Lilian Baylis School takes some guts.
I think Boris will win in London.
The loser will be Brown, I wonder if they have issued the rit for the by-election at Crewe and Nantwich before the London Mayor election to help mitigate Labour backbench rebellion? My thinking is Brown will want a short-term strategic diversion to shore u his leadership. Labour will demand loyality in a by-election you see!
It could be though if Labour then went on to lose the by-election, Brown would be following Livingstone into the political grave? It would be amusing if Brown succombed to his own tatical shortermism for the last time!
This morning, I offered a leaflet to a young man at out tube station, who declined saying:
"I've already voted for Boris", before taking a drag on his roll-up and finishing with "Ken's a c***"
After work, I'll be helping to GOTV. It's important we all keep the pedal to the metal and make sure of victory.
Have we had any sightings of Labour voters yet?
Windsortripehound, if Michael White set your teeth on edge, try reading Steve Richards in the Indy today - I never thought anyone could out-Polly Polly for arrogant, patronising, "progessive" de-haut- en-bas claptrap, but he just did it!
I spoiled my ballot in the Stoke council elections. There wasn't a Lib Dem candidate, only Labour, Conservative, BNP and two complete tits standing as independents. After reading their leaflets, I decided I couldn't vote for any of them. But Brown wins if you stay at home. So I wrote a message on the ballot paper expressing my frank and honest views on the issue.
Whatever happens, a bunch of utter knobs will end up on this council.
All the BNP families off the estate were outside the polling booth. One of them has a really attractive teenage daughter, it was a bit odd. But it's probably going to be Labour... again.
I was in Pimlico this morning, and voting was busy... and no Labour teller on the council estate (Tory and LibDem present).
Outer London turnout higher than usual, and you can tell that the majority are voting Tory by the way they markedly hand their polling card to our tellers, or wish us good luck or give us the thumbs-up - in some cases, voters are actually saying 'this is the first time I've ever voted Conservative'.
In my area Grange-over-Sands (used to be Tim Colins seat) the lib dems are using old posters some either do not have any attribution or only have the printer's mark.
new ones are kosher.
May be same elswhere go and look!!
Have advised BBBC and local paper
disgusted grange-over-sands
Asquith - do you have any idea what is done with spoilt ballot papers?
Do you honestly imagine the candidates pore over them in agony, drinking deep or your wise words?
Spoiling a ballot paper deliberately is just about the most impotent way of expressing discontent. I would go further, but don't wish to incur Iain's wrath on an unmoderated thread.
"I spoiled my ballot in the Stoke council elections...So I wrote a message on the ballot paper expressing my frank and honest views on the issue."
How very mature of you! I doubt they'll bother to read it though, so you wasted the effort it took to write as well as the vote itself..
In my area (usually solid Labour) the polling station was totally empty a few hours ago. Hopefully not a good sign for them...
"Lord Levy has voted by post? That'll get counted as one for Ken, then."
Did he use a brown envelope, I wonder?
Asquith 12:40 There wasn't a Lib Dem candidate, only Labour, Conservative, BNP and two complete tits standing as independents.
I would have thought that two tits standing independently would be quite popular...
Conservatives are fighting hard in Coventry where there is a possibility that control could fall to N.O.C. from Conservative. This is the only city where Conservatives currently control the council outright without any deals with the Liberal Democrats.
Which ward were you in Asquith - I was in tunstall and it was dead...
Preston (elected in thirds)
Rain is cooling turnout. Labour have all their Cllrs out at the mo. It's looking very tight in the Tory wards; LibDems should hold on in all their wards but could lose one to Labour in a strange twist of defection related japery.
Incidentally, I had to sign for my ballot paper at the polling station this morning!
Judith, All spoilt ballot papers have to be agreed as such by the candidates or their agents. They are read out by officials and I can still remember some of the rather witty remarks from when I was elected last year
Judith, I don't see what there is to get angry over. I don't want any of the candidates on "offer" to be elected. My choices were staying at home or spoiling my ballot paper.
And I know perfectly well what they'll do. They'll carry on being a bunch of shameless t***s like they were before.
I would have voted for Gavin Webb if I'd lived in his ward. Or a Green candidate perhaps. But no.
Windsor Tripehound, I believe registered socialists/communists/thought fascists can get sense-of-humour bypasses on the NHS upon request.
Asquith: "But it's probably going to be Labour... again"
Well, to stop that happening you have actually to vote for someone else, don't you? Unfortunately "None of the above" never gets elected.
To echo Judith, I cannot imagine that anyone is naive enough to think that writing a message on a ballot paper is going to cause candidates or vote counters to scratch their heads and say, "Hmmmm... good point. I hadn't thought of that before."
Jeez. Something tells me this is the first time you have voted.
Anonymous @ 12.41
Don't get too excited by the lack of a Labour teller in Pimlico. Probably means Labour are concentrating on getting their vote out rather than pointlessly wasting their time by hanging about polling stations.
sometimetyke said...
Windsortripehound, if Michael White set your teeth on edge, try reading Steve Richards in the Indy today...
I have... and it did!
Typical arrogant leftie; he knows what's good for me - whether I want it or not
have to say, voted in orpington this morning and there was a big gotv for Boris at the station; did not seem to be much interest from the workers though sadly. empty at the polling station too.
As a LibDem who wants to help get Ken out, I'm worried by how many of my friends & colleagues seem to be ducking out of voting Boris as 2nd pref, and choosing Ken at the last minute. If Ken does win - and it still seems unlikely - I'm very worried this could be how.
Sky are reporting a 1000 jobs to be lost this year at Northern Crock, not that you would know from News 24...........................
Gordo really makes his own (bad) luck doesn't he !
I could nearly feel sorry for him, and then I remember the last ten years.
Yesssssssssssssssss
Is there an electon today? Funny, I've been listening to Radio 5 and Radio 2 all day and they haven't mentioned it yet.
Lots abot a babysitter released on bail, and a bus has crashed near the Nile.A fat bus driver has lst her job and Oh yes, Whats'sname and Pascoe may or even may not be making another series.
Its been gripping I can tell you.
Really not clear what comments you've taken excception to here, Iain?
on the lunchtime news the BBC had a report saying that if there is ANY writing (ie numbers) other than the cross written on the ballot paper it is designated "spoiled" and will be discarded. Voters beware!! Go Boris!
"Pathetic behaviour by the usual anonymongs."
I just got here. Don't blame me.
sorry to sound ignorant... but why are the Conservatives expected to lose Coventry.. Is there a story behind this?
Just back from voting in Clapham. The Labour people seem to be very upbeat for all the "Boris is home and dry" sentiment in much of the media (including the blogs). I don't know if Ken will win, but Labour will do as badly as everybody is expecting - in London at least.
Yup, I can vouch for the blue tide in Pimlico this morning...first time I have ever had to queue for the teller on exit! Poor Labour chappy was sitting there all forlorn.
Very slow voting in South Tyneside, don't expect any major surprises here!
With reference to spoilt ballot papers, they certainly get read. The best one that I ever had was 'I won't vote for that Tory Bastard'.
We have just been to vote and the three moderators in the room who ticked off our names and gave us ur slips were craning their necks to look over and see who we were voting for.
We complained to the "Police Officer" outside who said they were allowed to do that.
I am sure that isn't the case, can anyone advise?
Both South Cambs and Cambs County councils have been run disastrously by Conservatives for years - the leader of the County Council was forced to resign recently after trying to nobble the selection of the new Chief Exec, and the Audit Commisson's report on the Tories in Cambourne makes depressing reading for all concerned.
It's no coincidence that the intelligent, educated voters of the City avoid the Tories, while the lumpen rural proles vote for anything with a blue rosette (and pay the price for it).
Let's hope Vicky's predictions are wide of the mark.
next time, don't announce you are taking moderation off - just do it quietly
Asquith
I can only endorse Judith's assessment of you and your futile, fatuous and infantile action. So you claim to be 23. Would that be your age or your IQ that you're so proud of? Perhaps by the time the next local and/or general election comes along, you will have learned a little bit about the democratic process of this country.
A spoiled paper is just that, a spoiled paper. It is waste. It becomes landfill, loo-roll or hamster bedding. Nobody gives a flying ... one what you scrawl in crayon on the back. Your comments are a waste of space , time, paper and [of course] crayon. You, for the time being, are a diamond-studded, fur-trimmed, ocean-going waste of oxygen. Why not cut back on the puerile and sanctimonious drivel and grow up? Until then, I suggest that you remain a silent idiot, rather than blurting about it on blogs and proving the point. Remember, the internet is forever.
The usual steady stream in Forest Gate North (Newham) this morning. I wouldn't read much into it - a donkey in a red rosette will get elected here, as Lyn Brown proved in 2005.
Albert M. Bankment, verity and fellow intellectual giants, I took the action I did because I've studied all the candidates and it isn't possible to support any of them. I don't imagine that anyone will read my message, or care, but I thought it was just a bit better than not going to the ballot box at all.
I doubt whether it's physically possible to have an IQ of 23. If such a person even existed, he would be totally illiterate.
Perhaps you can explain to me why I should vote Labour, Conservative or BNP, or support "independent" candidates who have no worthwhile policies. I assure you that I know a lot about the political process: enough not to bother with those mongs.
Looks like we are ahead - for the first time ever - on Broadwater Farm, a polling station in itself (tottenham)
bexleytory- the tories only hold coventry due to a couple of councillors who defected from labour to tory in safe labour wards- both of which are up this year. Unless labour go down very hard the council will be lost by default.
I went to vote this morning (at 8.30) in Kilburn. Normally, there's no one else there, but this time there was a queue of 5 people. I would say 4 were in their 30's and 1 in the 60's - probably just the time of day.
I would normally expect the higher turnout to be good for Ken, but it feels different. I think Boris is going to do well, and I think Ken knows it.
Iain, there is more news on the Lambeth election officials. Link to the story on my blog ;-)
I think any public reading of spoiled ballot papers must be at the whim of the Returning Officer. I've attended numerous counts (both Westminster and local government) and have never heard it done. I certainly don't belive there's any requirement to do so under election law.
DAW - If you use one of the booths provided for your privacy, there is no way the officiating officers or anyone else can see how you vote. If you fail to use the booths, you have decided to sacrifice your privacy. No laws are broken by anyone who chooses to take a look, regardless of whether they are officiating officers or members of the public.
asquith said...
"Whatever happens, a bunch of utter knobs will end up on this council."
But it would be worse if there were any libdums.
"All the BNP families off the estate...one of them has a really attractive teenage daughter, it was a bit odd."
You just love the working class don't you asquith? So long as it does what you tell it to do.
judith said...
"Spoiling a ballot paper deliberately is just about the most impotent way of expressing discontent."
People are impotent. The liblabcons can have their fun today. So what? They will all carry on with the same rubbish as before. The only way to express discontent with the entire system is to spoil the ballot paper.
Even asquith has a point in writing that his views are not represented (- but as it's only him and only Stoke, who cares?).
I was in Pimlico this morning, and voting was busy... and no Labour teller on the council estate (Tory and LibDem present).
same in my part of the world, but to be fair we have no Lab members on the council, so not that odd. Don't know why it still surprises me that all the people behind the desks are female and 'a certain age'. Truly, the world is run by retired, grey-haired women in sensible shoes.
Anonymous said...
"All spoilt ballot papers have to be agreed as such by the candidates or their agents. They are read out by officials and I can still remember some of the rather witty remarks from when I was elected last year"
Except in the People's Republic of Newham where the Returning Officer just flashes them at Labour functionaries and they all mutter how they agree that it shouldn't count. That's what happened when I was there.
DAW said...
"We have just been to vote and the three moderators in the room who ticked off our names and gave us ur slips were craning their necks to look over and see who we were voting for.
We complained to the "Police Officer" outside who said they were allowed to do that.
I am sure that isn't the case, can anyone advise?"
You should have asked to speak to the Returning Officer to complain. The plod will just be wanting an easy life.
"We have just been to vote and the three moderators in the room who ticked off our names and gave us ur slips were craning their necks to look over and see who we were voting for."
No, daw, they are most certainly NOT allowed to do that. I've acted as Presiding Officer/Poll Clerk on many occasions and the guidance is absolutely clear that the secret ballot is just that. The staff are allowed to provide assistance if a voter has difficulty in completing the ballot paper because of disability but, even then, steps are taken to try and ensure that the actual vote remains secret if at all possible.
Several contributors have mentioned the polling station staff correlating voter numbers with ballot paper numbers. This has been standard practice for many years and is designed to aid subsequent investigations in cases of suspected electoral fraud. My understanding is that the correlated lists, together with the used ballot papers, are stored securely for a limited period (a year?) before being destroyed. During this time they can be scrutinised, but only (I believe) if a Court Order is obtained.
Yep, what does a Labour voter look like? because I was one of those on the huge turnout in Pimlico this morning and voted for Ken. Want a hint? I was wearing a suit and carrying an umbrella.
Daw, 3:01
Your ballot is a secret. You must feel free to declare it if you so wish, but the whole idea of a ballot is for it to be secret. Otherwise a show of hands would do!
Not voting today as there are no elections in my area, but following it with high expectations for Boris.
I did however see Ken's policies publicly advertised on a tube station last week when in London. Funny thing was, they were written on the wall in...
No I won't say it. But it was a toilet wall if that helps
Just seen you on BBC in what looks like the City Hall Living Room. Don't like that Dupont tie - it makes you look like Colin Hunt. But I suppose they are becoming de rigeur for TV reporters.
(COYI at OT)
Asquith @ 4.06
Just in case you, or anyone else, bothers to revisit yesterday's ding-dong.
Don't vote. That's fair enough. There's nothing wrong with abstention, if there is no party that merits your support. Alternatively, go to the Polling Station and shout, if you like. Berate the party stooges who try to curry your support outside, or the candidates if they happen to be passing. That's all good knockabout stuff and part of the process.
It's just that scrawling on a ballot paper, then boasting about it, does give the impression that you are someone who probably should not be allowed to vote, breed or breathe.
Albert M. Bankment said...
"Just in case ...anyone ...bothers to revisit yesterday's ding-dong."
Well I bothered.
Personally, I'd say that putting a large Z through the ballot paper is demonstrating a preference; even a short written message is fair enough. That avoids the usual liblabcon excuse of 'they're too apathetic to care about' or 'they don't vote because they support us'.
Of course, you are entirely correct about writing a long essay and then boasting about it.
Anonymous @ 11.42
(fx: waves)
Thanks for bothering!
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