[Politics] Social media and voting - you could be ARRESTED

[Easy 10]

Possibly one for the "Did you know ?" thread, but being as most of us will be mincing along to the polling station tomorrow, and it would end up buried on there, I thought I'd share this with the class as it was certainly news to me.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50381748

"What about telling your followers how you voted?
Yes you can - but only about your vote and not anyone else's, so you are advised not to update your account inside the polling station. The punishment for revealing how another person voted - even accidentally - is up to £5,000, or six months in prison".

Blimey.

Not that I was planning on taking pics, or any of that kind of general BUFFOONERY at the polling station. But I didn't realise that if I casually mentioned on FB or Twitter how the missus voted, then by the letter of the law, I could be banged up.

I like that you're allowed to be drunk or under the influence of narcotics and still vote though. Nice touch, that.

 

[dazzer6666]

Possibly one for the "Did you know ?" thread, but being as most of us will be mincing along to the polling station tomorrow, and it would end up buried on there, I thought I'd share this with the class as it was certainly news to me.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50381748

"What about telling your followers how you voted?
Yes you can - but only about your vote and not anyone else's, so you are advised not to update your account inside the polling station. The punishment for revealing how another person voted - even accidentally - is up to £5,000, or six months in prison".

Blimey.

Not that I was planning on taking pics, or any of that kind of general BUFFOONERY at the polling station. But I didn't realise that if I casually mentioned on FB or Twitter how the missus voted, then by the letter of the law, I could be banged up.

I like that you're allowed to be drunk or under the influence of narcotics and still vote though. Nice touch, that.

She might have lied to you anyway [emoji23][emoji23]

 

[Easy 10]

She might have lied to you anyway [emoji23][emoji23]

That would certainly be my defence. Your honour.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

I wonder if this will end up in prosecution as it´s extremely illegal. I highly doubt it

https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/concerns-raised-as-laura-kuenssberg-reveals-insight-into-how-postal-votes-are-stacking-up-1-6420389

 

[Stat Brother]

Vote Gay Boy Roy.

 

[LlcoolJ]

She might have lied to you anyway [emoji23][emoji23]

Mine couldn't. She can't be arsed with forms so got me to fill in her postal vote.

 

[ManOfSussex]

I like that you're allowed to be drunk or under the influence of narcotics and still vote though. Nice touch, that.

I found that one out in the 2005 general election - we'd had a lunch meeting with a client at work and ended up drinking all afternoon with them in the pub. I fell off the train home and staggered into the polling station at 2130 time and was worried they'd tell me to get lost, but I gave my details and they gave me a ballot paper and I voted.

 

[Easy 10]

I found that one out in the 2005 general election - we'd had a lunch meeting with a client at work and ended up drinking all afternoon with them in the pub. I fell off the train home and staggered into the polling station at 2130 time and was worried they'd tell me to get lost, but I gave my details and they gave me a ballot paper and I voted.

I might try this drunken voting malarky tomorrow then. I won't have a chance in the morning, but there's a window of opportunity to exploit if I go down the pub and watch some Europa League gubbins for a few hours.

The trouble is, I'll probably wake up and will have completely forgotten who I voted for. Spoiled ballot paper via blown chunks would be the most likely though, I should think.

 

[spongy]

That would certainly be my defence. Your honour.

Ballot papers are anonymous so how could they ever know with proof?

Vote Gay Boy Roy.

That was a great episode of gossipmongers.

 

[Stat Brother]

Ballot papers are anonymous so how could they ever know with proof?



That was a great episode of gossipmongers.

Vote now, Roy is up against Spaceworm in the gossip final.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Possibly one for the "Did you know ?" thread, but being as most of us will be mincing along to the polling station tomorrow, and it would end up buried on there, I thought I'd share this with the class as it was certainly news to me.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50381748

"What about telling your followers how you voted?
Yes you can - but only about your vote and not anyone else's, so you are advised not to update your account inside the polling station. The punishment for revealing how another person voted - even accidentally - is up to £5,000, or six months in prison".

Blimey.

Not that I was planning on taking pics, or any of that kind of general BUFFOONERY at the polling station. But I didn't realise that if I casually mentioned on FB or Twitter how the missus voted, then by the letter of the law, I could be banged up.

I like that you're allowed to be drunk or under the influence of narcotics and still vote though. Nice touch, that.

It’s a secret ballot. The law is there to protect that secrecy and in particular to protect voters from intimidation.

 

[spongy]

Vote now, Roy is up against Spaceworm in the gossip final.

There is no way I can vote AGAINST space worm. That is THE best on there. And I've listened to them all. The one where "slack jaw Jim" I think blew up his dead pet dog is my second favourite, and BP someone who blew himself up at a garage with a deflated rugby ball.

 

[Mr Putdown]

Ballot papers are anonymous so how could they ever know with proof?.

Are they?

You enter the polling station, hand over your polling card, and they record your details against a numbered list.

 

[spongy]

Are they?

You enter the polling station, hand over your polling card, and they record your details against a numbered list.

But the paper you put in the box does not hold those details.

The one you hand in will have them so they know you're registered to give you the blank one.

 

[studio150]

I wonder if this will end up in prosecution as it´s extremely illegal. I highly doubt it

https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/concerns-raised-as-laura-kuenssberg-reveals-insight-into-how-postal-votes-are-stacking-up-1-6420389

But hardly surprising from an official Conservative spokesperson.

 

[Mr Putdown]

But the paper you put in the box does not hold those details.

The one you hand in will have them so they know you're registered to give you the blank one.

But it’s not blank, it’s also numbered. They actually write the number of your voting slip down. They even confirm it between themselves before you’re handed it.

Watch it tomorrow.

 

[Bodian]

But it’s not blank, it’s also numbered. They actually write the number of your voting slip down. They even confirm it between themselves before you’re handed it.

Watch it tomorrow.

Indeed they do, and according to this, it's even been used to overturn a result. https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,,-1051,00.html

 

[Bry Nylon]

Vote Gay Boy Roy.

Don't call me Roy.

 

[Mr Putdown]

Indeed they do, and according to this, it's even been used to overturn a result. https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,,-1051,00.html

Thank you, I’m amazed so few seem bothered about this.

 

[Eeyore]

Ballot papers are anonymous so how could they ever know with proof?



That was a great episode of gossipmongers.

Pretty sure that ballot papers have a mark on them which traces them to the voter (your number is given to the distributor when it is ruled over). Of course, it is illegal to do so- except in the case of fraud investigation.