[Archived] PCC Elections

[RibbleValleyRover]

I voted yesterday for the PCC election in Clitheroe, I went at lunchtime and there was only one other person there voting. When I spoke to those at the polling station they said the turnout was very low (announced today that the turnout was just 15.5% in Lancashire!).

Did anyone else vote? I am not surprised if you didn't, the whole subject wasn't well publicised really. The pro's and con's of this change weren't really discussed much and apart from a couple of interviews in the Clitheroe Advertiser and a Q&A in the Lancashire Telegraph there wasn't much media coverage. I think I had one leaflet from the Labour candidate put in the letterbox, we didn't get any from the other political parties.

I did a bit of research on the internet about the candidates and made my decision, you would have to find the information yourself instead of being directed to it.

So overall I thought it was a bit of a farce really, perhaps in four years time after people have experienced what the PCC does and what has been achieved then maybe people might decide to vote.

[jim mk2]

The elections weren't publicised well because the government balked at the £30m cost of sending out information by post. If the government did not consider the elections to be very important it's not surprise the public did not vote. I voted.

[Mike E]

I didn't vote because it just feels like a way of politicising the Police imo. A horrible thing to do. The police should police our streets and keep us safe, not enter some willy-waving contest to be the leader. Put your dicks away and get the truncheons out!

[RibbleValleyRover]

The Labour candidate didn't get the 50% required to win on first choice.

First preferences declared for Lancashire: LD 18396 (10.9%) CON 58428 (34.8%) UKIP 25228 (15%) LAB 66017 (39.3%)

They are counting the second preference votes now. The second choice vote will be between Labour and the Conservatives.

[Al]

Can somebody explain to me what the police have got to do with party politics. Genuine question I would have thought that policing would be neutral as far as politics are concerned.

[adopted scouser]

I didn't vote because it just feels like a way of politicising the Police imo. A horrible thing to do. The police should police our streets and keep us safe, not enter some willy-waving contest to be the leader. Put your dicks away and get the truncheons out!

+1000

[RibbleValleyRover]

The final result:

Final Lancs result was Labour's Clive Grunshaw: 79,790 (46.2%) Conservative Tim Ashton: 73,262 (42.4%)

[ABBEY]

Like who cares

[Stuart]

Our school was forced to close for the privilege of those pitiful few who voted.

[thenodrog]

The elections weren't publicised well because the government balked at the £30m cost of sending out information by post. If the government did not consider the elections to be very important it's not surprise the public did not vote. I voted.

Did you Jim? Who for?

[jim mk2]

Polling station in Wales not one person bothered to turn up to vote !

So much for Cameron's "localism" and Big Society agenda.

[bazza]

I voted yesterday for the PCC election in Clitheroe, I went at lunchtime and there was only one other person there voting. When I spoke to those at the polling station they said the turnout was very low (announced today that the turnout was just 15.5% in Lancashire!).

Did anyone else vote? I am not surprised if you didn't, the whole subject wasn't well publicised really. The pro's and con's of this change weren't really discussed much and apart from a couple of interviews in the Clitheroe Advertiser and a Q&A in the Lancashire Telegraph there wasn't much media coverage. I think I had one leaflet from the Labour candidate put in the letterbox, we didn't get any from the other political parties.

I did a bit of research on the internet about the candidates and made my decision, you would have to find the information yourself instead of being directed to it.

So overall I thought it was a bit of a farce really, perhaps in four years time after people have experienced what the PCC does and what has been achieved then maybe people might decide to vote.

My sentiments exactly. I voted. I had to search the internet for information, I listened to the four candidates for 1 hour on Radio Lancashire , one leaflet (Tory) was pushed through my door. Very poor supply of information.

Like who cares

Maybe you and me, Abbs, when Grunshaw orders the banning of alcohol in Lancashire.

I say this in jest but you never know.......

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I voted on the grounds that if you don't vote you've relinquished the right to moan about it after.

[jim mk2]

Disastrous day for Cameron. A 12.67 per cent swing from the Tories saw Labour regain Corby - a similar swing in a general election would give Labour a 100-seat majority - and his pet idea of elections for police commissioners has been a shambles. Just another example of the incompetence of this govt.

[colin]

At close to the age of 60 I don't really think I've ever missed voting for anything that I have been entitled to vote for.

I've never "spoiled my vote" but the PCC vote was , for the first time in my life, I really didn't give a flying f**k about.

I really love Jim's tale that there was a polling station in Wales that actually no-one bothered to vote. That is brilliant.

I also heard Eton Bullington boy Cameron trying to justify the 15% turnout by saying that "next time it will be better."

FFS Concentate on this time.

[Jeru tha Damaja]

I voted on the grounds that if you don't vote you've relinquished the right to moan about it after.

I very rarely vote, on the grounds that "I voted" is just a very lazy excuse to do nothing and accept no accountability for anything that happens in your community for the next 4/5 years. Too many people think that their contribution to society should end with a mark on a ballot, so they vote and then spend a lot of time complaining about the inadequacy of their elected officials while doing nothing to actually bring about any sort of change.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I very rarely vote, on the grounds that "I voted" is just a very lazy excuse to do nothing and accept no accountability for anything that happens in your community for the next 4/5 years. Too many people think that their contribution to society should end with a mark on a ballot, so they vote and then spend a lot of time complaining about the inadequacy of their elected officials while doing nothing to actually bring about any sort of change.

You're making a rather large assumption there matey. You know nothing about me or my activities.

[Jeru tha Damaja]

I wasn't talking about you personally, just challenging the assumption that voting is really the most important thing you can do. I never said that YOU don't do anything else, just that there is a large number of people who seem to cast their vote then simply say "I've done my bit" and then do nothing until the next election. Anyway, if you are the exception then that's great, but your assertion that deciding not to choose between a series of candidates who you don't approve of somehow invalidates your opinion is grossly unfair.

[jim mk2]

Casting your vote is important and unless you are involved in the political process you are doing your bit. People who compain about the political system but choose not to vote are usually stumped for an answer when challenged to suggest a better way of running the country.

[Jeru tha Damaja]

The problem I have with voting is that, unless I vote Labour, there really isn't any point in me turning up in my constituency. Our MP has been Labour for decades, our ward always returns Labour councillors and the margin has remained pretty much the same apart from a rather unfortunate period just over a decade ago where the BNP saw a temporary surge in support that affected the totals.

I find that there is little difference between where I live and the strongly Conservative area where several of my family live or the Lib Dem stronghold around my uncle's house so voting is something that I might do if I have time on polling day.

However, I did set up an initiative for young people to gain qualifications while they work through my company. When I was a permanent resident I was a member of the local interfaith committee and regularly volunteered with a few charities in our area, and in Tanzania my wife and I have been busy with several local initiatives and a wider attempt to set up something close to the CAB over there. The thing is, I realised a long time ago that none of the candidates in our elections effectively represent my views, so rather than endorse someone whose actions I don't really agree with I decided that it was more important to shape the community I live in by actually getting out and making some positive differences. If you think that on balance I am less entitled to my perspective than someone who just turns up and votes once in a blue moon then fine, but I still think that what I do is more significant than casting a vote that doesn't actually mean anything the following morning.

The problem with elections is that a majority of one gives the winner a mandate to implement a broad platform that wasn't necessarily completely endorsed by the voters that gave them the victory. And even if we assume that everyone who votes for a candidate wholly agrees with every one of their chosen official's policies, it is hardly a good idea when a large number of the people casting their votes don't actually understand the issues that they are deciding on.

I'm not saying that I have a better way, just that voting isn't the only way to go, and abstention certainly doesn't automatically disqualify your opinion.

[Paul]

For the first time in our lives my wife and I chose not to vote - there may have been a local election or two which we missed through work etc.

No information on the candidates, no idea who stood, no reasons presented to thr electorate as to why we should vote for candidate A B or C. I don't even understand why Cameron thinks its a good idea? Consequently no vote.

I understand the whole process cost £100 million which equates to 3000 police officers. Given a choice I would have voted on that decision.

It's another Cameron cock up

[HemelRover]

I understand the whole process cost £100 million which equates to 3000 police officers. Given a choice I would have voted on that decision.

Iv'e heard and read this stat a few times now. How long would this £100 million pay for these 3000 police officers for? Is it their entire careers or what? Genuine question?

[thenodrog]

Casting your vote is important and unless you are involved in the political process you are doing your bit.

Imo it just encourages them! Lets be honest the first and most important requirement for any politician is one massive mother of an ego, the second is the ability to lie convincingly. Who could take to people like that?

[thenodrog]

Iv'e heard and read this stat a few times now. How long would this £100 million pay for these 3000 police officers for? Is it their entire careers or what? Genuine question?

Maths not your strong point Hemel? 100,000,000 / 3000 is just over 30k each. Effectively thats the salaries only (not the total cost of employing them by a country mile) of 3000 PC Plods sitting in a lay-by in a police car with the engine running to keep warm for one whole year. You need to ask Paul what he's going to do with them after that!

[Paul]

How long or short a period is largely irrelevant. It's a number widely quoted to demonstrate the waste created by an election process in which approximately 85% of the electorate were not sufficiently engaged to bother voting - clearly 100% turnout would never happen.

The previous system seems to have worked well for decades. I don't see the need to change.