Local Council Erections 2012

[penguinmonkey]

The way I see it is that we are now in a political situation which is becoming more and more analogous to the Dog Days of the Roman Republic. This is admittedly more obvious in US politics but is spreading over here as well.

There is a greater and greater concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a shrinking Oligarchical class who are distracting the populace with the old standby of bread and circuses while profiting from pointless foreign wars.

These Oligarchs are also in the process of accumulating political power while simultaneously closing down any choices that the populace have, leading to a rise in rabble rousing popularist politicians whose only wish is to join the ranks of the Oligarchy.

I am just waiting for the "civil" wars to erupt between these oligarchs over power to complete the picture. Although one could say that this has maybe started already with siege being conducted on Murdoch and NI at the moment.

I am starting to fear the rise of a popularist dictator within the next few decades somewhere in the "western" world

I really should stop thinking too much about this sort of stuff as I am starting to scare myself now

[Doorstop]

Excellent post .. imho.

[HelenD]

Seconded.

[Josef]

Went to vote this morning, and there were a dozen candidates/folk outside handing out leaflets and generally electioneering. I just said 'Gentlemen, this is the first sign I've seen of you in this entire election campaign.'

They had the grace to chuckle, and nod to me on the way out after I'd voted. Shaukur Butt (who I've seen several times before) seemed far more human standing as an Indie.

[Vinegar Tom]

Our polling station was very quiet when we went up at just after 6 this evening. Mind you , I didn't get past allocating "1" on the ballot paper on a "least bad" basis. I feel duty bound to vote , but I would have used the "none of the above" box if we were allowed such a thing.

[banjo]

did not go down too well as i asked is this the shredder as i put my form in the box.

[yoker brian]

I was at polling station at 7:05 yesterday morning, it wasn't open/set up as the janitor hadn't turned up, after a 10 minute wait a small group of around 10 people had gathered and we were allowed in to vote.. All well and good

At somepoint during the day, a letter was put through my door from the Asst Returning Officer to advise me that I had been given the wrong ballot paper and invited me back around to re-vote.

I Alerted the local councillor after 5pm when I read the letter, he wasn't aware of the ballsup, but apparently it only affected the early voters.

[The Egg Man]

Both Labour councillors returned in Anderston/ City. Well done both.

[Sunflower]

Sense of humour failure here re the modification to the thread title - some of the candidates may be a joke, but voting isn't.

(I too voted on a least-worst basis.)

[The Egg Man]

Labour retain overall control of Glasgow City Council. Well done all.

[dimairt]

From BBC Scotland webpage:

1643: Laura Bicker Politics Show reporter (On North Lanarkshire): "The big story was rejected ballots. It was about 2% of the vote. There were more than 2,000 votes rejected. This comes against a backdrop of postal votes being sent out with the wrong instructions. People who were sent postal votes were told to put an X in the box. It should be one, two or three not an X. I am told by a council spokesman that those instructions have made no difference to the current rejected vote. He told me he was confident that those instructions played no part in the rejection rate. He said the problem had been that people had voted for more than one first preference. An investigation is under way."

Durachdan,
Eddy

[The Egg Man]

From BBC Scotland webpage:

1643: Laura Bicker Politics Show reporter (On North Lanarkshire): "The big story was rejected ballots. It was about 2% of the vote. There were more than 2,000 votes rejected. This comes against a backdrop of postal votes being sent out with the wrong instructions. People who were sent postal votes were told to put an X in the box. It should be one, two or three not an X. I am told by a council spokesman that those instructions have made no difference to the current rejected vote. He told me he was confident that those instructions played no part in the rejection rate. He said the problem had been that people had voted for more than one first preference. An investigation is under way."

Durachdan,
Eddy

I note the 'we wiz robbed' comments have begun.

[Dexter St. Clair]

Bit harsh their Egg man. Keep it for the expat cyber nats on Glasgow Guide and its nat loving owner.

If you check the details in each ward there is a significant rejection of ballot papers

Voting for More Than One Candidate 157

and Glasgow residents did not get that letter.

Nats tremendously over confident in Govan.

Ward: 5 - Govan

Candidate
Party Elected Number
of First
Preferences
Elected ADAMS, James Scottish Labour Party Yes 1,727
ARCHIBALD, Finlay Pirate Party Scotland 51
BACH, Jesper Scottish Green Party 229
BUTT, Shaukat Glasgow First 398
Elected DORNAN, Stephen Glasgow First Yes 603
DRUMMOND, Joyce Solidarity – Scotland’s Socialist Movement 60
FLANAGAN, John 644
HUGHES, Alan Scottish Unionist Proudly Scottish Proudly British 143
HUNTER, Allison Scottish National Party (SNP) Yes 1,460
MACKIE, Jonathan Scottish National Party (SNP) 443
MOHAMMED, Tahir Scottish National Party (SNP) 356
MURDOCH, Harriet Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party 219
Elected THOMAS, Fariha Scottish Labour Party Yes 504
YOUNG, Chris Scottish Liberal Democrats 87

[The Egg Man]

So Shaukat got his Butt kicked?

[Boxer6]

Bit harsh their Egg man. Keep it for the expat cyber nats on Glasgow Guide and its nat loving owner.

If you check the details in each ward there is a significant rejection of ballot papers

Voting for More Than One Candidate 157

and Glasgow residents did not get that letter.

Nats tremendously over confident in Govan.

Ward: 5 - Govan

Candidate
Party Elected Number
of First
Preferences
Elected ADAMS, James Scottish Labour Party Yes 1,727
ARCHIBALD, Finlay Pirate Party Scotland 51
BACH, Jesper Scottish Green Party 229
BUTT, Shaukat Glasgow First 398
Elected DORNAN, Stephen Glasgow First Yes 603
DRUMMOND, Joyce Solidarity – Scotland’s Socialist Movement 60
FLANAGAN, John 644
HUGHES, Alan Scottish Unionist Proudly Scottish Proudly British 143
HUNTER, Allison Scottish National Party (SNP) Yes 1,460
MACKIE, Jonathan Scottish National Party (SNP) 443
MOHAMMED, Tahir Scottish National Party (SNP) 356
MURDOCH, Harriet Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party 219
Elected THOMAS, Fariha Scottish Labour Party Yes 504
YOUNG, Chris Scottish Liberal Democrats 87

Ahem!!