• Police Speak To Teen, 14, Who Admits Voting in UK Election
    62 replies, posted
[url=http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20100509/tuk-police-speak-to-teen-14-who-admits-v-45dbed5.html]Source[/url] [quote]A 14-year-old has described being interviewed by police after he managed to vote in the General Election despite being underage by four years. Alfie McKenzie, from Lancashire, said he was sent a polling card in error but decided to use it to vote against the Conservatives in his area. The politically-aware teenager said he dressed carefully in order to pass as an adult. "I dressed as much like a Tory as I could manage: a trench coat, reading glasses, sharp shoes," he wrote in the Observer. "I gave it my slightly eccentric aristocrat's walk and my best self-righteous Conservative accent, walked into St Hilda's polling station, went straight to the table and was directed to the slip which I was to cross." The schoolboy said his secret was only discovered when he told a teacher at school who reported him to the police and the local council. "When the police arrived, I came across way too informed and understanding to claim ignorance; the burly officer's patronising tone lowered as our interview progressed," he said. "Fortunately, it seems that I'm not going to be prosecuted." Alfie said he backed the Liberal Democrats as a tactical vote in the Conservative stronghold of Wyre and Preston North. Tory candidate Ben Wallace won with a majority of 15,844. "It seems I have become the first 14-year-old to vote in a General Election and, if we're to keep some faith in our voting system and the competence of its managers, hopefully the last," the teenager added.[/quote]
Awesome
Douche teacher
I'm calling a re-vote :v:
What an awesome guy. Also pretty clever with the disguise too.
This boy needs to be commended, not punished. Sounds like he's pretty awesome.
What? Don't you have to show any documents when walking in the location where you vote? I know I have to.
[QUOTE=Killuah;21841979]What? Don't you have to show any documents when walking in the location where you vote? I know I have to.[/QUOTE] He had a polling card.
[quote]When the police arrived, I came across way too informed and understanding to claim ignorance; the burly officer's patronising tone lowered as our interview progressed[/quote]If his politcal awareness was as good as his literacy then his vote was probably better informed than some of the actual voters.
14 year olds are probably much more intelligent when it comes to politics than old people :raise:
So the mistake is that he got a polling card? I'm confused. Someone explain how GB votes please. Here in Germany we get our polling cards sent by post and they have our names and other data on them. You only get them when you're 16/18 (local vote/federal vote)
[quote]the burly officer's patronising tone lowered as our interview progressed[/quote] He stayed in character for the interview, I see. [editline]09:28PM[/editline] [QUOTE=Killuah;21842073]So the mistake is that he got a polling card? I'm confused. Someone explain how GB votes please. Here in Germany we get our polling cards sent by post and they have our names and other data on them. You only get them when you're 16/18 (local vote/federal vote)[/QUOTE] There's two methods: 1) You go to a polling station, get a polling card, tick the box and put it in the slot. 2) You get the polling card sent to you, where you can either fill it in then post it back, or take it to the polling station. This boy was mistakenly sent one. Although he could have avoided attention by just filling it in then posting it back.
Sounds like he knew enough about politics to actually vote
[QUOTE=Max of S2D;21842043]14 year olds are probably much more intelligent when it comes to politics than old people :raise:[/QUOTE] Nope.
[QUOTE=CoolCorky;21842093]He stayed in character for the interview, I see. [editline]09:28PM[/editline] There's two methods: 1) You go to a polling station, get a polling card, tick the box and put it in the slot. 2) You get the polling card sent to you, where you can either fill it in then post it back, or take it to the polling station. This boy was mistakenly sent one. Although he could have avoided attention by just filling it in then posting it back.[/QUOTE] Alright so the real news is a 14 year old beeing sent a card.
[QUOTE=Killuah;21842410]Alright so the real news is a 14 year old beeing sent a card.[/QUOTE] Although that happens all the time...
Teacher was probably a conservative.
[QUOTE=BlazeFresh;21842171]Sounds like he knew enough about politics to actually vote[/QUOTE] Not really, seems like he just went on face value and thought "lol conservatives posh twats". Besides, you can't make allowances for something like this, it is important that the minimum voting age is upheld.
[QUOTE=BlazeFresh;21842171]Sounds like he knew enough about politics to actually vote[/QUOTE]
You know what is funny. This could start a turn towards lowering the voting age.
[QUOTE=Cloak Raider;21846108]You know what is funny. This could start a turn towards lowering the voting age.[/QUOTE] 14 year olds don't pay taxes or have most of the responsibilities to take care of that an adult has. I wouldn't count on it.
[QUOTE=Cloak Raider;21846108]You know what is funny. This could start a turn towards lowering the voting age.[/QUOTE] doubt it i think it would only strengthen the enforcement on it
Plus you'd just get people saying "vote for our party or you're kicked out of the house"
[QUOTE=Mexican;21846447]Plus you'd just get people saying "vote for our party or you're kicked out of the house"[/QUOTE] Although I think lowering the voting age would be the worst thing which could happen to the election system, you obviously know nothing about it. It's completely private and anonymous, you cannot be intimidated into voting for anyone.
[QUOTE=Jallen;21845910]Not really, seems like he just went on face value and thought "lol conservatives posh twats". Besides, you can't make allowances for something like this, it is important that the minimum voting age is upheld.[/QUOTE] Oh i completely agree, he probably did but he seems to know more about it that most 14 year old kids. And of course, i also agree. Although you still get adults acting like 14 year olds putting in votes against "tory posh twats".
[IMG]http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Books/Pix/pictures/2009/10/14/1255511366574/Groucho-Marx-glasses-001.jpg[/IMG] This is how I roll.
Teacher is a twat. I suggest we all have a suffragette type campaign to lower the voting age to 17.
Hahahhaha, what a bunch o' tards running the polls there.
[QUOTE=Jallen;21846559]Although I think lowering the voting age would be the worst thing which could happen to the election system, you obviously know nothing about it. It's completely private and anonymous, you cannot be intimidated into voting for anyone.[/QUOTE] Postal voting. But I was joking anyway.
I'm 16 and I kinda voted - my mum usually never votes but this year I pressured her into voting, and she did. Obviously it's still her vote, but I feel like I've done my bit to make a difference.
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