Comments on: Scottish Elections: Thoughts on the result http://www.leyton.org/2007/05/05/scottish-elections-thoughts-on-the-result/ Thoughts. Comment. Opinion. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:13:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Nick http://www.leyton.org/2007/05/05/scottish-elections-thoughts-on-the-result/comment-page-1/#comment-19974 Nick Mon, 07 May 2007 11:21:27 +0000 http://www.leyton.org/diary/2007/05/05/scottish-elections-thoughts-on-the-result/#comment-19974 <p>And what about this story -- <a href="http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/politics/politics-headlines/alex-salmond-killed-your-guinea-pig%2c-blair-tells-scots-children-20070502109/" rel="nofollow">Alex Salmond killed your guinea pig, Blair tells Scots children</a>?</p> And what about this story — Alex Salmond killed your guinea pig, Blair tells Scots children?

]]> By: Richard http://www.leyton.org/2007/05/05/scottish-elections-thoughts-on-the-result/comment-page-1/#comment-19971 Richard Mon, 07 May 2007 09:34:20 +0000 http://www.leyton.org/diary/2007/05/05/scottish-elections-thoughts-on-the-result/#comment-19971 <p>Richard - In a sense I agree - but an editorial argument is one thing, a front page screaming emotive rhetoric is a different matter altogether. Examples are "<em>Vote SNP today and you put Scotland's head in the noose</em>" (Sun) or "<em>This man wants to destroy Great Britain</em>" (Daily Mail). That these were rumoured to be brought into polling stations and left lying prominently lying around by at least one election worker is the cause of, I think, a complaint by an MSP.</p> <p>(I've fixed the link by the way)</p> Richard – In a sense I agree – but an editorial argument is one thing, a front page screaming emotive rhetoric is a different matter altogether. Examples are “Vote SNP today and you put Scotland’s head in the noose” (Sun) or “This man wants to destroy Great Britain” (Daily Mail). That these were rumoured to be brought into polling stations and left lying prominently lying around by at least one election worker is the cause of, I think, a complaint by an MSP.

(I’ve fixed the link by the way)

]]> By: Richard Havers http://www.leyton.org/2007/05/05/scottish-elections-thoughts-on-the-result/comment-page-1/#comment-19969 Richard Havers Mon, 07 May 2007 09:18:51 +0000 http://www.leyton.org/diary/2007/05/05/scottish-elections-thoughts-on-the-result/#comment-19969 <p>A bit rich coming from the Guardian to attack other newspapers for attacking a political party.</p> A bit rich coming from the Guardian to attack other newspapers for attacking a political party.

]]> By: Nick http://www.leyton.org/2007/05/05/scottish-elections-thoughts-on-the-result/comment-page-1/#comment-19953 Nick Sat, 05 May 2007 20:00:14 +0000 http://www.leyton.org/diary/2007/05/05/scottish-elections-thoughts-on-the-result/#comment-19953 <p>Given the large number of spoiled ballot papers -- as many as 100,000 according to some reports -- maybe the election should be re-run, once the <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1687496.ece" rel="nofollow">serious problems with the electoral roll</a> are resolved. Preferably with postal voting allowed only under the most extenuating circumstances.</p> <p>It is vitally important that the integrity of the voting system be beyond question, but increasingly this seems not to be the case.</p> Given the large number of spoiled ballot papers — as many as 100,000 according to some reports — maybe the election should be re-run, once the serious problems with the electoral roll are resolved. Preferably with postal voting allowed only under the most extenuating circumstances.

It is vitally important that the integrity of the voting system be beyond question, but increasingly this seems not to be the case.

]]> By: mavis http://www.leyton.org/2007/05/05/scottish-elections-thoughts-on-the-result/comment-page-1/#comment-19952 mavis Sat, 05 May 2007 16:15:29 +0000 http://www.leyton.org/diary/2007/05/05/scottish-elections-thoughts-on-the-result/#comment-19952 <p>I await with interest to see if Alex Salmond gives up his seat as MP for Banff and Buchan now he has been elected as an MSP for Gordon..</p> I await with interest to see if Alex Salmond gives up his seat as MP for Banff and Buchan now he has been elected as an MSP for Gordon..

]]> By: Pat the Chooks http://www.leyton.org/2007/05/05/scottish-elections-thoughts-on-the-result/comment-page-1/#comment-19951 Pat the Chooks Sat, 05 May 2007 15:15:42 +0000 http://www.leyton.org/diary/2007/05/05/scottish-elections-thoughts-on-the-result/#comment-19951 <p>I had the chance to observe the elections and have come to the conclusion that there was nothing wrong with the systems in use, only that it was an error to hold both elections on the same day (see what the Arbuthnott Commission had to say) and that Scottish voters are generally not aware how their MSPs are actually elected. The new voting sheet for the parliamentary ballot(s) was laid out according to the Commission's recommendations, in that the regional vote for parties is the most important in determining how many MSPs each party gets. Where there was a failure was in raising the electorate's knowledge and awareness of the parliamentary voting system, already lamentably low. On the other hand, the totally-new PR by STV system for local government actually went off without a hitch - the low level of spoilt papers for that election clearly shows that voters in Scotland can understand new voting systems when they are properly explained to them. The other major snag was the delay caused by processing the votes by computer. The actual e-counting side of things works really well, but the computers snarled up trying to add up the numbers. It will be interesting to see what the Electoral Commission make of that one, but if the software is the bathwater, e-counting is the baby we need to keep in the bath.</p> I had the chance to observe the elections and have come to the conclusion that there was nothing wrong with the systems in use, only that it was an error to hold both elections on the same day (see what the Arbuthnott Commission had to say) and that Scottish voters are generally not aware how their MSPs are actually elected. The new voting sheet for the parliamentary ballot(s) was laid out according to the Commission’s recommendations, in that the regional vote for parties is the most important in determining how many MSPs each party gets. Where there was a failure was in raising the electorate’s knowledge and awareness of the parliamentary voting system, already lamentably low.
On the other hand, the totally-new PR by STV system for local government actually went off without a hitch – the low level of spoilt papers for that election clearly shows that voters in Scotland can understand new voting systems when they are properly explained to them.
The other major snag was the delay caused by processing the votes by computer. The actual e-counting side of things works really well, but the computers snarled up trying to add up the numbers. It will be interesting to see what the Electoral Commission make of that one, but if the software is the bathwater, e-counting is the baby we need to keep in the bath.

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