Electoral limbo

[shewhomust]

Yesterday was polling day. I should have posted this then, but it has been one of those weeks and a number of should haves - haven't. However, since I voted over a week ago (I have a postal vote) and the results will not be declared until Sunday, there is little point in worrying about a day either way.

I voted Green. It seems to me that the most urgent issue is Brexit and the most important issue is the environment, and voting Green says so. I'm aware of the arguments for voting LibDem as the more electable party, especially given the results in the local elections (which in our case we did not have): but I voted LibDem once, and they went into coalition with David Cameron. So I won't make that mistake again in a hurry. I'm not entirely convinced that votes in local elections are any basis for predicting how European elections will go. And I do believe in putting down markers: Green policies will win you votes. If you read all this as me still arguing it out with myself, you have a case - but anyway, I voted Green.

Yesterday our (French national, long-time resident) neighbour called round to say that she hadn't received a poll card, could she still vote, and if so, where? durham_rambler accompanied her to the polling station, and confirmed that no, she had not filled in the additional I promise not to vote in two countries form :The Guardian suggests this is illegal discrimination, but that's what happened).

I'm heartened by initial reports that the turnout was up; not high, but as high as it gets in European elections. These are the elections the government and the Brexiteers wanted not to have, so we need to make the most of them.

Now we wait for results. And for the Tory party to choose a Prime Minister for us. Oh, dear.

Comments

[sovay]

I voted Green. It seems to me that the most urgent issue is Brexit and the most important issue is the environment, and voting Green says so.

I hope your vote does what you wanted it to do.

[shewhomust]

Thank you. So do I!

[lamentables]

We both joined the Labour party after that general election, but we both voted Green on Thursday. There seems to be a lot of it about.
I am disgusted by the disenfranchisement of people from other EU countries in this election.

[shewhomust]

There seems to be a lot of it about.

Doesn't there, though but.

It's hard to tell whether what happened to our neighbour was malice or incompetence, but it seems obvious that the denial, up to the last minute, that the election would happen, created the conditions for both.

[lamentables]

I’ve been watching people collecting data on this all over social media and there seems to be a huge number of people who were denied a vote. My surmise is that if it was incompetence it was the kind that happens when nobody tries to make it work. Passive malice?

[shewhomust]

'Passive malice' is a good phrase for it. Also a great band name!

[athenais]

I'm watching all of this with great interest. I hope you don't get landed with Boris.

[shewhomust]

I hope not indeed!

[anef]

We voted Green too, and it looks to have made a difference. As for what's next, who knows.

[shewhomust]

We voted Green too, and it looks to have made a difference.

I persuade myself that it makes a difference, even if it doesn't get anyone elected.

As for what's next, who knows.

Interesting times...