Will you be voting at the upcoming elections?

[byronkincaid]

remember someone telling me years ago you get good tax free money working for the day in a polling station, can't see anything about it on my council's website, anyone done it or know where to get info?

 

Jobs are divvied out to local council staff, so I suppose that makes it tax free as they're funded from taxes?

ah this guy's mum was a councilor, he was getting over £200 for the (long) day IIRC and i'm sure he said it was tax free. was a long time ago tho i might be mistaken.

[gatso]

bexley and sidcup used to give the ballot counting jobs to local 6th form and college students. doubt they paid much

[mondatoo]

Never voted and don't intend to.

[NoflopsHomer]

I'm still registered at where my folks' live in Stone which was a super safe Tory seat even in '97 where Bill Cash is the MP. The guy is a loon on some of his views (imo) but he takes his local duties way more seriously than most and does actually try and help people and holds regular surgeries. But it does make my vote useless!

remember someone telling me years ago you get good tax free money working for the day in a polling station, can't see anything about it on my council's website, anyone done it or know where to get info?

I did it at the last election, you do 6am to 6pm and I made about £120 then did some vote counting the next morning for a few hours for another £80 or so quid. The latter was pretty funny as all the party bigwigs are watching you like hawks on every ballot. If there was ever one you weren't sure about (or if someone else wasn't sure about) you'd put it on a seperate pile and then the local council officer would announce whether the ballot was spoiled or not, the basis being a clear intent of a vote for a party. Usually it's pretty obvious, so if someone put a cross next to all parties but one and ticked that last one, that would count as a vote. Occasionally there were some very amusing spoilt ballots. After you've done, I think, three elections you can be a Presiding Officer which is what my Dad is doing this year, it just pays an extra £100 or so on the election day and you have to look after the votes and take them to place where they're to be counted at the end of the day.

You should probably call up your local council Byron, usually you have to go to one meeting/training thing before being told which area you'd be sent.

[sovietsong]

gordon brown sent me a letter, pretty good of him.

[Claw75]

gordon brown sent me a letter, pretty good of him.

did he spell your name right?

[Longy]

gordon brown sent me a letter, pretty good of him.

Was it an application for a summer job at your company?

[EvilPie]

We do really have a choice. One of the major things that affect our lives in this country is immigration. People have become disillusioned with the level of immigration and have thus started lodging protest votes with the BNP. This has prompted the major parties to rethink their strategy about immigaration and pledge quotas in the future.

I've been thinking about this a lot and I'm really tempted with the protest vote thing.

There's no way the BNP would get in where I live so a vote for them as you say is just giving the major parties a nudge that one more person thinks that at least some BNP policies are worth while.

Unfortunately as I come from a mixed race background I feel I would struggle to put a tick in the BNP box.

Bit of a dilemma but this really has got me thinking.

Can I also change my vote in the blonde ballot from definitely not to probably not please.....

[Ironside]

MRLP ftw or a protest vote IMHO

[Claw75]

We do really have a choice. One of the major things that affect our lives in this country is immigration. People have become disillusioned with the level of immigration and have thus started lodging protest votes with the BNP. This has prompted the major parties to rethink their strategy about immigaration and pledge quotas in the future.

I've been thinking about this a lot and I'm really tempted with the protest vote thing.

There's no way the BNP would get in where I live so a vote for them as you say is just giving the major parties a nudge that one more person thinks that at least some BNP policies are worth while.

Unfortunately as I come from a mixed race background I feel I would struggle to put a tick in the BNP box.

Bit of a dilemma but this really has got me thinking.

Can I also change my vote in the blonde ballot from definitely not to probably not please.....

do you have a UKIP candidate? their stance on immigation is pretty hardlined too.

[thediceman]

If there was a viable protest vote the main parties would really have to reconsider there position. Unfortunately ATM there are few alternatives available and therefore you get voter apathy from many and therefore low turnouts. Just think what would happen if these people had a worthwhile option to vote for even if it was just to register their disapproval of the main parties. A protest vote for the BNP does not appeal to most (which is a good thing) and the independent alternatives are to small that most people are to apathetic to brother these option.

I would love a single policy candidate who's only pledge is to make their peers more accountable and whistle blow on things like "self elected" expenses policies which in any other working environment would be laughed at being ridiculous. It would be nice if the MP's had learned from the expenses scandal but you only have to listen to them to see many of them still think they have done nothing wrong as they cite "it was within the rules". Well the rules are wrong and you voted for the rules. Even those that have been exposed are now just siting tight and just waiting to retire and receive huge pensions. I normally believe you should use your vote but fear apathy may get the better of me this time.

Shame Heather Brooke wasn't standing for election. I would even move to her area just to vote for her. Her or Mark Thomas  

[StuartHopkin]

We do really have a choice. One of the major things that affect our lives in this country is immigration. People have become disillusioned with the level of immigration and have thus started lodging protest votes with the BNP. This has prompted the major parties to rethink their strategy about immigaration and pledge quotas in the future.

I've been thinking about this a lot and I'm really tempted with the protest vote thing.

There's no way the BNP would get in where I live so a vote for them as you say is just giving the major parties a nudge that one more person thinks that at least some BNP policies are worth while.

Unfortunately as I come from a mixed race background I feel I would struggle to put a tick in the BNP box.

Bit of a dilemma but this really has got me thinking.

Can I also change my vote in the blonde ballot from definitely not to probably not please.....

do you have a UKIP candidate? their stance on immigation is pretty hardlined too.

Lol

If you vote BNP or UKIP Mr Russell I will have to disown you.

I wont be voting because their is no one I could vote for and walk out with my head held high. I wont be voting on this thread either because i cant be arsed. Very different reasons.

[Claw75]

If there was a viable protest vote the main parties would really have to reconsider there position. Unfortunately ATM there are few alternatives available and therefore you get voter apathy from many and therefore low turnouts. Just think what would happen if these people had a worthwhile option to vote for even if it was just to register their disapproval of the main parties. A protest vote for the BNP does not appeal to most (which is a good thing) and the independent alternatives are to small that most people are to apathetic to brother these option.

I would love a single policy candidate who's only pledge is to make their peers more accountable and whistle blow on things like "self elected" expenses policies which in any other working environment would be laughed at being ridiculous. It would be nice if the MP's had learned from the expenses scandal but you only have to listen to them to see many of them still think they have done nothing wrong as they cite "it was within the rules". Well the rules are wrong and you voted for the rules. Even those that have been exposed are now just siting tight and just waiting to retire and receive huge pensions. I normally believe you should use your vote but fear apathy may get the better of me this time.

Shame Heather Brooke wasn't standing for election. I would even move to her area just to vote for her. Her or Mark Thomas 

bring back Martin Bell!

[EvilPie]

We do really have a choice. One of the major things that affect our lives in this country is immigration. People have become disillusioned with the level of immigration and have thus started lodging protest votes with the BNP. This has prompted the major parties to rethink their strategy about immigaration and pledge quotas in the future.

I've been thinking about this a lot and I'm really tempted with the protest vote thing.

There's no way the BNP would get in where I live so a vote for them as you say is just giving the major parties a nudge that one more person thinks that at least some BNP policies are worth while.

Unfortunately as I come from a mixed race background I feel I would struggle to put a tick in the BNP box.

Bit of a dilemma but this really has got me thinking.

Can I also change my vote in the blonde ballot from definitely not to probably not please.....

do you have a UKIP candidate? their stance on immigation is pretty hardlined too.

Lol

If you vote BNP or UKIP Mr Russell I will have to disown you.

I wont be voting because their is no one I could vote for and walk out with my head held high. I wont be voting on this thread either because i cant be arsed. Very different reasons.

Oh man!! If only I'd known it was that simple to get rid of you I'd have been at the ballot boxes last time.

Seriously though if you look at the BNP's policies they actually sound pretty good. If it wasn't for the hidden agenda that they don't do such a great job of advertising they genuinely would have my vote.

Obviously some of their policies such as compulsory national service or you lose your right to vote aren't generally banded about for all to see.

It's a shame that if they were to gain power they would see the country in ruins within a decade otherwise I might just give them my tick.

[thediceman]

I might just give them my tick.

Or cross if you don't want to risk it being a spoilt paper.