Tag Archives: poll cards

Police investigate Labour in Leeds over fake poll card allegations

By Mark Pack | Wed 2nd May 2012 - 10:04 pm

The Leeds Labour Party is being investigated by the police for over claims it has broken the law against issuing imitation poll cards. Parties and candidates are not allowed to issue leaflets which look like official poll cards, but this is what Labour has been distributing in the Otley and Yeadon ward:

After the legality of the leaflets was raised with them, the Labour Party has said they stopped delivering the leaflets.

The problem with poll cards, 2011 vintage

By Mark Pack | Tue 29th March 2011 - 10:27 am

Millions of pounds have been spent in total in the UK on testing various forms of electronic voting, in the hope that this might raise turnout in elections. The overall verdict across different technologies – such as voting by SMS or online – has been remarkably consistent: it’s expensive, not very reliable, of dubious security and, above all, has almost no impact on turnout levels.

It’s easy to see how the idea of using modern technology has caught the eye and budget of decision makers. But with the emphasis on the high-tech, boringly old-fashioned items such as paperwork have got much …

Posted in Election law | Also tagged featured and islington council | 1 Comment

Labour in legal hot water over poll cards

By Mark Pack | Wed 5th May 2010 - 1:30 pm

Dating back to times when unscrupulous campaigns issues fake poll cards directly people to the wrong places to vote, the law says:

No person shall for the purpose of promoting or procuring the election of any candidate at a parliamentary election issue any poll card or document so closely resembling an official poll card as to be calculated to deceive (1983 Representation of the People Act)

Although the original motivation for that legislation is now long in the past, it’s still the law in force – and so the law campaigns have to follow. As The Times has pointed out, using …

Posted in Election law | Also tagged camden, islington and southwark | 9 Comments

Welcome advice on poll cards from the Electoral Commission

By Mark Pack | Mon 15th March 2010 - 1:50 pm

The 2010 edition of the Electoral Commission’s “Handbook for polling station staff” contains this welcome advice for those staff:

Most electors bring their poll card with them to show to the Poll Clerk even though this is not a requirement for most voters. Offer this poll card back to the elector. It will help them to give information to tellers outside if this is their wish.

It’s a small, but very welcome, recognition of the usefulness of tellers to the health of our electoral system. Tellers are party volunteers who gather information about who has voted. They therefore bring two benefits: first, …

Posted in Election law | Also tagged electoral commission and telling | 3 Comments

The problem with poll cards

By Mark Pack | Wed 6th May 2009 - 9:50 am

Crossposted from The Wardman Wire

Millions of pounds have been spent in total in recent years in the UK on testing various forms of electronic voting, in the hope that this might raise turnout in elections. The overall verdict across different technologies – such as voting by SMS or online – has been remarkably consistent: it’s expensive, not very reliable, of dubious security and, above all, has almost no impact on turnout levels.

It’s easy to see how the idea of using modern technology has caught the eye and budget of decision makers. But with the emphasis on the high-tech, boringly …

Posted in News | Also tagged european elections | 1 Comment