When You Go To Vote

[fruitsalad]

Why is there 2 or 3 people outside who take the number off the card, then when you go inside to vote they take it again just before giving you a ballot paper?

[Mamyalynne]

'Telling' is explained well here.

https://rmc28.dreamwidth.org/93079.html

[TonyV]

Think people outside volunteer for the political parties rather than the council, but not certain.

[horseshoes]

You actually don't NEED to take your card! It's just for ease of crossing you off the register. The people outside are usually candidates' helpers, who MAY whizz around knocking doors and offering lifts to people who haven't been to vote.

[JimF]

Indeed, and you absolutely do not need to tell these people anything!

[CrapAtCryptics]

Telling is relatively rare now as to get the best from it you need a detailed knowedge of every ward in a constituency to make it work effectively and there arent that many volunteers or people with the necessary skills anymore.

[TonyV]

horseshoes you are absolutely correct, when I was a young member of a political party, I used to do that on election night, very few takers of a free lift to Polling station.

[Togo]

These "tellers" are not necessarily as harmless as they would like you to believe. Like all aspects of the political process they have been corrupted by the zealots and those who like to operate using black/brownshirt tactics.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/police-called-to-polling-stations-three-times-after-voters-intimidated/ar-AAK4co8?li=BBoPWjQ

[237SJ]

The Tellers are allowed inside the building as well but they are not allowed to speak to the people who are running the polling station.

[Old_Geezer]

That would be telling.

[TheDevil]

I don't like talking to the people at the poll I just smile, hand them my card and wait.

I don’t want to say my name out loud or my address.