Gathering Intelligence
Everywhere I go I am collecting snippets of information, opposition leaflets and targeted letters. Early this afternoon I get a good haul.
Now I have a copy of "Cancer Scare Focus". Of the "Please apply for a postal vote" letter picturing CK and issued by Lib Dems at the very time their leader was condemning this means of election. And a sheaf of nationally produced attack material, probably emanating from attack dog numero uno Mr Alan Milburn and his FCUK lackey.
Also various information.
Nominations close on Tuesday next. This is a hugely important moment in some constituencies.
Postal votes ought to be on people's mats by the following Tuesday at the latest. Today those voting postally received a test letter. This says that this time we cannot vote on the day at polling stations if we have one of these. Designed also to give Sir Howard an early warning of any shenanigans.
Manchester had a good set of measures in place last June to prevent fraud. Much of this adopted and built on nationally this time. What Manchester does today, the world does tomorrow.
The Greater Manchester cases of attempted manipulation reported in the local paper were by Lib Dem candiidates and activists. I don't know whether these are going to court but no-one should think that any major party has not had the odd cheating chancer or six.
There are some worries though.
On my travels I have seen dozens of invitations to apply for a postal vote lying in porches or accessible in letterboxes. But the test letters should catch any personation with stolen applications.
In the city centre I know that some blocks simply have not had these forms delivered and so I am writing to the Returning Officer to ask that post is used immediately for these.
And finally on my travels I am finding a degree of confusion between these application forms, our outcards, actual polling cards, and actual postal voting forms. I will ask the Returning Officer to enlist the help of all the media in clarifying the paperwork and process as they did last time.
There were an incredibly small proportion of spoilt or faulty ballots in the all-postal election here last year. A small fraction of a percent - including the deliberate spoilers.
The nicest spoiled ballot I've glimpsed was I think the one one a five candidate ballot with a lovely cartoon cat marching across and the word 'MIAOW' filling the boxes. Was that you? Or have you a tale of enjoyable or creative writing on a ballot you spoiled? And spoiling your ballot "by voting UKIP" as one resident offered yesterday does not count!
Email spoiltvotes@easy.com with contributions.
Now I have a copy of "Cancer Scare Focus". Of the "Please apply for a postal vote" letter picturing CK and issued by Lib Dems at the very time their leader was condemning this means of election. And a sheaf of nationally produced attack material, probably emanating from attack dog numero uno Mr Alan Milburn and his FCUK lackey.
Also various information.
Nominations close on Tuesday next. This is a hugely important moment in some constituencies.
Postal votes ought to be on people's mats by the following Tuesday at the latest. Today those voting postally received a test letter. This says that this time we cannot vote on the day at polling stations if we have one of these. Designed also to give Sir Howard an early warning of any shenanigans.
Manchester had a good set of measures in place last June to prevent fraud. Much of this adopted and built on nationally this time. What Manchester does today, the world does tomorrow.
The Greater Manchester cases of attempted manipulation reported in the local paper were by Lib Dem candiidates and activists. I don't know whether these are going to court but no-one should think that any major party has not had the odd cheating chancer or six.
There are some worries though.
On my travels I have seen dozens of invitations to apply for a postal vote lying in porches or accessible in letterboxes. But the test letters should catch any personation with stolen applications.
In the city centre I know that some blocks simply have not had these forms delivered and so I am writing to the Returning Officer to ask that post is used immediately for these.
And finally on my travels I am finding a degree of confusion between these application forms, our outcards, actual polling cards, and actual postal voting forms. I will ask the Returning Officer to enlist the help of all the media in clarifying the paperwork and process as they did last time.
There were an incredibly small proportion of spoilt or faulty ballots in the all-postal election here last year. A small fraction of a percent - including the deliberate spoilers.
The nicest spoiled ballot I've glimpsed was I think the one one a five candidate ballot with a lovely cartoon cat marching across and the word 'MIAOW' filling the boxes. Was that you? Or have you a tale of enjoyable or creative writing on a ballot you spoiled? And spoiling your ballot "by voting UKIP" as one resident offered yesterday does not count!
Email spoiltvotes@easy.com with contributions.
posted by Chris Paul at 1:41 PM
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