Humberside police commissioner election: You're going to get two votes, so make them count
VOTERS going to the polls in this week's police and crime commissioner election are being urged to think carefully over marking their ballot papers.
Thursday's election is being run under the supplementary voting (SV) system.
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New way: Thursday's election is being run under the supplementary voting system.
Unlike council and parliamentary contests, electors will have two votes, rather than just one.
It is the first time the system is being used in a regional election, although it is used to elect the Mayor of London and other elected mayors in England and Wales.
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Under SV, people are asked to vote for their first-choice candidate by marking a cross in the first-choice column.
They then can vote again for a second-choice candidate by marking a cross in the second-choice column on the ballot paper.
When the votes are counted at Bridlington Spa on Friday morning, a winner will be declared if someone receives more than 50 per cent of the first preference votes.
But if no one reaches the 50 per cent mark, all candidates apart from those in the first and second places are eliminated.
The ballot papers showing a first preference for eliminated candidates are then checked for their second preference votes.
Any second preference votes for the two remaining candidates are then added to the two candidates' first preference votes.
The candidate with the most votes after the addition of second preference votes wins.
It could mean the candidate with the most first preference votes in the first count finishing second after the second.
Colin Rallings, professor of politics at of Plymouth University, believes that scenario could be played out at Bridlington later this week if no one gets more than 50 per cent of the first preference votes.
He said: "The result may depend on which parties or candidates go through to the second round and how many second votes are eligible to be counted."
Prof Rallings said transferring second preference votes in the event of second ballot was not as straightforward as it seemed.
He said: "In practice, many second votes are cast in such a way that they are ineligible for transfer.
"Some voters support the same candidate twice, leave the second column blank or cast their second preference for a candidate who is already eliminated.
"Our analysis of the mayoral elections since 2001 shows that, on average, fewer than four in ten eligible second votes are transferred and affect the final outcome.
"To use SV most effectively, voters need to judge which two candidates are likely to emerge after the count of the first votes and then tailor their second preference.
"However, the more candidates there are on the ballot paper and the less clear-cut the balance of support among them, the harder it becomes to gather the information needed to forecast what the outcomes might be."
Comments
by cueball44
Wednesday, November 14 2012, 7:22PM
“by corrig. "can it be ?? is cueball44 "34 with double chips" wife?????". Answer, with the stabiliser i possess, i think not.”
by corrig
Wednesday, November 14 2012, 6:47PM
“can it be?? is cueball 44 "34 with double chips" wife?????”
by Dee_SBL
Wednesday, November 14 2012, 6:27PM
“Why anyone would vote for Paul Davison is beyond me, a former chief superintendent he retired earlier this year... With full pension & £75k a year, not a bad sum for us taxpayers to fork out.
Matthew Grove is obviously the best candidate for the position. Currently runs his own business which means experience in budgeting, strategic planning, human resources etc. Humberside needs strong leadership!
Lord Presoctt.... Well... Let's not go there.”
by AstynomiaKats
Wednesday, November 14 2012, 6:04PM
“For those who don't vote, you can't complain about police services until the next election.”
by NeilTheasby
Wednesday, November 14 2012, 12:28AM
“My advice to everybody is simply - DON'T VOTE! It's all a load of tosh and a waste of public funds. How much better if the money wasted on this abuse of democracy had been diverted to policing - paying for a dozen extra police officers instead of being earmarked for the Police Commissioner's salary, P.A., office and travel expenses. Who ever dreamed this up needs to be tazered. And again I contend that Lord Prescott is too old to be the first Police Commissioner. His time has gone and he should accept this graciously.”
by mikewhit
Tuesday, November 13 2012, 10:21PM
“by LordChez,
YOU CAN YOTE FOR UP TO 2.
But you can vote only first preference, it will not be a void vote.”
by ArthurHunt
Tuesday, November 13 2012, 7:58PM
“Never mind wasting time and money electing police commissioners which very few people are interested in, where's our vote on the EU or the death penalty or abolishing the Human Rights Act, or curbing immigration there again politicians know the answer to all these and keep us quiet by giving us a vote on something of no political consequence to maintain the illusion our views count. Do they heck!”
by anthony1960
Tuesday, November 13 2012, 7:19PM
“Scoff_Cruddle
You are so right however unfortunately that just isn't going to happen. With these people (candidates) left in, it is just a none stop gravytrain. They all have highly paid jobs or pensions already so how on earth can they possibly give 100% to this post as that is what is needed.
It's just jobs for the boys again at the expense of somebody who would be 100% passionate for the role, however ordinary working class people who see first hand what is going on, have no real chance in any of these type of elections.
These ex this and that who already have big fat pensions and other roles running alongside, should not be allowed to take such an important role, should it ever be run in the manner they tell us that it should be run. Just more snouts at the trough.”
by cueball44
Tuesday, November 13 2012, 4:32PM
“by LordChez. You can vote twice. Just put your first mark next to John Prescott and your second choice Neil Eyre. You won't regret it.”
by LordChez
Tuesday, November 13 2012, 4:16PM
“Can anyone tell me if you have to make two votes? I only want to vote for one candidate and do not want to spoil my ballot paper or can I vote for the same candidate twice?
Neil Eyre is my only choice, even though it is only a protest vote I want it to count!”