Answer: Yes. On election day, parties and their candidates carry out Get the Vote Out (GTVO) operations, on which they send reminders and visit pledged voters to remind them to go to the polls, sometimes persuading last-minute swing voters on the way. By polling day however, political parties will generally assume everyone has made up their mind, and concentrate chiefly on getting their voters to polling stations rather than winning over new ones.
Which is what they were doing, except I voted by post nearly two weeks ago, and told them repeatedly over the last two weeks. Nobody was taking any notice of what I tell them, which is rather symbolic of how it actually works in government.
Answer: Yes. On election day, parties and their candidates carry out Get the Vote Out (GTVO) operations, on which they send reminders and visit pledged voters to remind them to go to the polls, sometimes persuading last-minute swing voters on the way. By polling day however, political parties will generally assume everyone has made up their mind, and concentrate chiefly on getting their voters to polling stations rather than winning over new ones.
Which is what they were doing, except I voted by post nearly two weeks ago, and told them repeatedly over the last two weeks. Nobody was taking any notice of what I tell them, which is rather symbolic of how it actually works in government.
"...it is advisable, if possible, to go in with ID and/or proof of address."
In England, this advice is nonsense. Under the current law, no member of staff in a polling station is permitted to ask for ANY form of identification from a prospective voter.
A worrying fact is that anyone who goes into a polling station and claims to be a particular elector registered at that polling station must be issued with a ballot paper which will then be allowed to go into the ballot box, providing no-one else has already claimed to be that elector. If they are telling lies, that is a serious offence, but unless the polling station staff are aware that an offence has been committed, it is likely that the offender will get away with it and have his/her vote counted, even if the "real" elector turns up later.
I have no idea about the law applying outside England.
it is likely that the offender will get away with it and have his/her vote counted, even if the "real" elector turns up later.
Each ballot paper has a number. That number is written next to the voter's name on the electoral roll before the paper is handed to them. If two people claim to be the same voter, one of them will be able to prove identity and have only their vote counted.
This is the same capability that makes it possible to determine who voted for each candidate.
If two people claim to be the same voter, one of them will be able to prove identity and have only their vote counted.
In theory, yes, of course you are correct. In practice, this would require a lengthy legal process which would significantly delay the result and would be most unlikely to happen.
Replies
As it happens, I am within 250m of the polling station, a school, not that it's what I thought the rules were.
http://www.answers.com/Q/Can_you_canvass_on_election_day
Question. Can you canvass on election day?
Answer: Yes. On election day, parties and their candidates carry out Get the Vote Out (GTVO) operations, on which they send reminders and visit pledged voters to remind them to go to the polls, sometimes persuading last-minute swing voters on the way. By polling day however, political parties will generally assume everyone has made up their mind, and concentrate chiefly on getting their voters to polling stations rather than winning over new ones.
Which is what they were doing, except I voted by post nearly two weeks ago, and told them repeatedly over the last two weeks. Nobody was taking any notice of what I tell them, which is rather symbolic of how it actually works in government.
Ah, put in a complaint then?
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmbills/027/07027.i-i.html
Penalty is a fine up to £5000 I believe.
In England, this advice is nonsense. Under the current law, no member of staff in a polling station is permitted to ask for ANY form of identification from a prospective voter.
A worrying fact is that anyone who goes into a polling station and claims to be a particular elector registered at that polling station must be issued with a ballot paper which will then be allowed to go into the ballot box, providing no-one else has already claimed to be that elector. If they are telling lies, that is a serious offence, but unless the polling station staff are aware that an offence has been committed, it is likely that the offender will get away with it and have his/her vote counted, even if the "real" elector turns up later.
I have no idea about the law applying outside England.
This is the same capability that makes it possible to determine who voted for each candidate.
In theory, yes, of course you are correct. In practice, this would require a lengthy legal process which would significantly delay the result and would be most unlikely to happen.