General Chat

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Anyone in the postal vote areas ( you can’t vote normally) like me in Yorkshire? looked at the forms? There is a bar code and unique number on each part so that the “state” knows what you have voted. Rang the free phone number up and they could not say that this was not true. Bob

hi robert i noticed this too, im in lancs. tracy

Bob, I think this has always been the case even on ordinary votes.

Trish, ordinary voting papers just have the boxes on they don't have any reference to your name and address! Bob

I'm in postal area too (Notts), however still havent received ballot forms yet!

I don't know if anyone else saw this, but there was a letter in the Daily Mail this week (in that 'straight to the point' section where they are brief). A man said that he is political but his friends and family aren't, so they are voting on their postal vote for the person he suggested to them! So technically, he's having about 20 votes! I think he was saying this to prove that it is indeed a farce, not that he's trying to rig the voting.

Bob, I'm pretty sure that there is a code somewhere on your voting paper - helped out a good few years back now on voting day so memory is a bit dim

we are on postal voting system too, but even on the old system there was a code on the back of your slip which I noticed cross referenced it to your name. Once my mum had a canvasser on her doorstep asking for her vote, when she said that she probably wasn't going to vote for them that year, she was asked 'why not you did last year' so she told them it was supposed to be a secret ballot

We'v got 3 forms at out house...one for me ,,,hubby and 21 year old daughter. If we cant keep our vote secret then can stick it.

What Forms ? we haven't had any yet and are not likely to do so because there has been one all mighty cock up with the printing and the deliveries My daughter has received some but they are for the wrong area It never has been a secret vote when you went to the polloing station THey checked your polling card against a list gave you a voting slip but the counterfoil in the book had numbers on so they have always been able to check Bren

I will stand corrected, but I can never recall seeing any codes on the actual slip that you put in the box. Anyone out there that votes normally next month have look and let us know. Bob

I got this from the Birmingham City Website: Some voters complain that it is not a secret ballot because there is a number on the back of the ballot paper and on the counterfoil. After the election, they claim that their ballot paper could be matched with the counterfoil which shows their election number. It is true that the votes could be traced but, in reality, the Returning Officer has to keep the counterfoils in a separate container to that containing the counted ballot papers. Then, all documents are destroyed after 12 months. There are two reasons for numbering the ballot papers: 1. So that the Returning Officer knows exactly how many (and which ones) have been issued to each Presiding Officer. If any false copies were introduced at the polling station or the count, they could be identified. 2. To allow an Election Court to investigate in cases of personation and decide which votes should be allowed or disallowed. A court order would be necessary to require the two sealed containers to be opened. For the above reasons, the ballot is secret and no-one should be concerned that their vote will be traced.

We've just been looking at our forms. Not only do they have the bar code on, but you need a witness who has to sign and print and supply their address. I assume that the government have decided to try a postal vote to see if it encourages people to vote. My Das instilled into us when we were teenagers that we had to vote as it was our duty. I think even Dad would have objected to this big brotherism. After much deliberation my form has gone in the bin. It's the first time since I turned 18 that I won't be voting. Jeanette

Hi My ballot papers have finally arrived they were delivered this evening at 9-30 pm by a council employee. I still don't think that this vote is going to be secret all of the forms have bar codes on them plus the declaration form has my name and address on the back. So in my mind it will be quite easy to check whom I have voted for Maybe I'm too suspicious of the Labour Government and their motives .and this is clouding my judgement Bren

Hi It is a secret vote until something goes wrong then they can research it, this does not often happen. Believe me I worked for local gov for 20 years and did the elections and everything is secret.