Ok The Conspiracy Theories Are Off And Running.....postal Votes...etc

[ToraToraTora]

A few sour grape whinners about but I don't think for a minute there was anything remotely bent about the Scottish referendum though it does highlight an issue. Personally I don't think postal votes should be allowed. If you don't care enough to go and vote then you don't deserve to vote in my opinion.

[jim360]

Surely the point of postal votes is that they are for people who do "care enough to go and vote", but are otherwise engaged or not so able to make it to the ballot box. Criticising postal voters when they managed a 90%+ "turnout" in some regions seems bizarre.

[boxtops]

Hang on TTT, that doesn't work - not everyone with a postal vote is lazy. My MIL has just had to spent 10 weeks in hospital - how the heck do you expect her to get to a polling station?

We've got postal votes for Englsh elections because we're often working away on polling day.

[tonyav]

What about the disabled that are housebound or those that maybe in hospital ?.

[sherrardk]

What aout the people that live in the middle of nowhere or on isolated islands

[ToraToraTora]

postal votes are a recent thing, how did they manage before?

[boxtops]

No they're not, we've had postal votes for several years.

[jim360]

They didn't, which is part of the reason that turnout is rarely more than 70%. Postal votes haven't always boosted turnout of course. But by definition the people who bother to vote are the ones who send in their postal ballots. So they do care, it's just that for whatever reason they can't make it on the day.

[Daffy6543]

I have a postal vote in England because I am disabled and may not be fit enough to attend a polling station. It has nothing to do with not caring enough.

[ToraToraTora]

postal votes were introduced in 2001. so for most of history the were not allowed.

[Slapshot]

I had a postal because I'd expected to be in the South Atlantic on operational duty.... don't I still deserve my vote TTT. I know hundreds of service personnel around the world on service for the nation who were entitled to vote... do they not care enough to deserve a vote.... I suggest a course of engaging one's brain before one spouts utter tripe

[BilSuth]

What if you're going to be overseas on the day, or hospitalised for an op, or you're physically disabled?
Don't get worked up about postal votes. In a generation's time everything will be online, everything, and those who have to make other arrangements - such as going to polling stations - will be the outcasts.

[237SJ]

"How did they manage before"? I just didn`t vote.

[tonyav]

ToraToraTora
Question Author
postal votes were introduced in 2001. so for most of history the were not allowed.


So what, now they are and a good thing to.

[Wharton]

Offshore oil-workers who voted NO? Oh, the irony :-)

[Neveracrossword]

Service personnel and people who were physically incapacitated have been able to use postal votes since the 1940s - the 'on demand' arrangements came in in 2001.

[bednobs]

personally i don't think women should be allowed the vote - how do their fluffy little brains work out who is best to vote for?

[FrogNog]

We pick the prettiest colour bednobs ;)
Tora, you would be the first person to kick off if you were denied your vote just because you were in traction.

[agchristie]

There are numerous valid reasons for a postal vote:-

Illness/hospitalisation/disability/holidays/work/
Childminding/agoraphobia etc etc

In years to come I'm sure we will see other options such as the e-vote/text which the Government, as yet, has no plans to introduce.

[EDDIE51]

Postal votes were made a choice in 2001 TTT, anyone can ask for one now and you do not need a reason ( for example a lot of shift workers have them to make it more convenient to vote)
Before 2001 only registered disabled people who were unable to get to a voting station and service men/women had them.

[237SJ]

"Before 2001 only registered disabled people who were unable to get to a voting station and service men/women had them" Not strictly true. I had a postal vote years before that.