Ed: Are We Having A Poll For The Eu Elections?

[naomi24]

It would be interesting to see how the AB vote will go.

[pixie374]

Maybe suggest some options, ich? And the Ed's can decide.

[ichkeria]

I agree there are a lot of options if you include the parties from N Ireland. But it’s never been a problem before. I’m not really that bothered but I just thought it was a strange reason :-)
Is there a software issue?

[naomi24]

Oh well ...

Zacs at 15:02, that really made me laugh! Twit!

[Zacs-Master]

;-)

[New Judge]

//Such a poll would be as flawed as was the Referendum…//

Please explain why the referendum was flawed, canary.

//I dont know where this one gets his law from.//

He gets it from Schedule 1 of the Representation of the People Act, 1993 together with guidance from the Electoral Commission which they base on established case law. Specifically:

Shed.1 section 47

(2) A ballot paper on which the vote is marked—

(a)elsewhere than in the proper place, or
(b)otherwise than by means of a cross, or
(c)by more than one mark,

shall not for such reason be deemed to be void if an intention that the vote shall be for one or other of the candidates clearly appears, and the way the paper is marked does not itself identify the voter and it is not shown that he can be identified by it.

(3)The returning officer shall endorse the word “rejected” on any ballot paper which under this rule is not to be counted, and shall add to the endorsement the words “rejection objected to” if an objection is made by a counting agent to his decision.

(4)The returning officer shall draw up a statement showing the number of ballot papers rejected under the several heads of—

(a)want of official mark;
(b)voting for more than one candidate;
(c)writing or mark by which voter could be identified;
(d)unmarked or void for uncertainty.

The notion that candidates would be involved in each individual decision by the returning officer if more than fanciful. Ballot papers that are rejected can be seen by the candidate or his agent (and no doubt would be inspected in the event of a close result) but the law is quite clear (and that’s where I got it from).