UK Police and Crime Commissioner election results come in - but only 1 in 10 bothered to vote - Polidicks

[B]David Cameron's flagship law and order policy is in tatters today after just one in 10 people in some areas bothered to vote in elections for police and crime commissioners.[/B] Despite pleading from the Prime Minister on the eve of the vote across England and Wales, voters stayed away. [B]At one polling station in Newport no-one voted all day[/B]. The Prime Minister today tried to defend the police, telling the BBC: 'Turnout was always going to be low when you’re electing a new post for the first time. But remember, these Police and Crime Commissioners are replacing organisations that weren’t directly elected at all.' But the average turn out looks likely to be in the low teens, with some areas approaching single digits. In a parliamentary by-election in Manchester Central, turnout was just 18.16 per cent - the worst for a by-election since the Second World War. In the most radical shake-up of the service for half a century, the new commissioners, who are expected to earn up to £100,000 a year, will control police budgets, set priorities and have the power to hire and fire Chief Constables. Elections were held in 41 police areas outside London, where the Mayor Boris Johnson is already in charge of police. [B]Voters complained that they had not been given enough information about candidates, there was little difference between campaigns and the decision to hold the election in November meant many could not face trudging to polling stations in the dark.[/B] Professor Michael Thrasher from Plymouth University condemned the decision to hold the vote in November, instead of at the same time as council elections. '[B]It might have been cheaper to send a taxi around to collect the votes rather than using polling stations,[/B]' he told Sky News. As the backlash against the plans mounted, Tory MP Conor Burns took to Twitter to express his dismay. He wrote: 'I suspect we will live to regret creating these Police Commissioners. [B]I regret voting for the Bill.[/B]' Results so far: [URL]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2233386/PCC-vote-Worst-election-turnout-just-10-turnout-vote-areas.html[/URL] [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20354044[/url] Labour won where I am with over 50% of the votes, Lib Dems came last with 6%, behind UKIP. Only 14% of registered voters actually voted.

I have no idea what this vote was about. Could anyone explain this to non-Brits? What were they voting for?

[QUOTE=deltasquid;38474703]I have no idea what this vote was about. Could anyone explain this to non-Brits? What were they voting for?[/QUOTE] Most Brits don't know what it was for either.

I am English and the main reason I didn't vote was because there was nowhere that gave me a good description of the possible candidates in my area. On top of that, we don't need Police commissioners.

My local one was completely empty pretty much all day, most I saw was two people in there. Conservative was elected here but I didn't vote cause none of the candidates actually had any police experience and were either just random people or business owners. [editline]16th November 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=Cutts;38474742]I am English and the main reason I didn't vote was because there was nowhere that gave me a good description of the possible candidates in my area. On top of that, we don't need Police commissioners.[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19970734[/url]

[QUOTE=deltasquid;38474703]I have no idea what this vote was about. Could anyone explain this to non-Brits? What were they voting for?[/QUOTE] The vote was to create a 'super admin cop' who is in charge of a large area of policing. They control budgets, hire/fire and control what/where the police should be policing. The part that put me off was that most of the candidates are politically affiliated. Meaning you'll get candidates that will be bias towards/against the government or have a different agenda.

[QUOTE=deltasquid;38474703]I have no idea what this vote was about. Could anyone explain this to non-Brits? What were they voting for?[/QUOTE] No one fucking knows and that's the problem

[QUOTE=MrEndangered;38474759]The vote was to create a 'super admin cop' who is in charge of a large area of policing. They control budgets, hire/fire and control what/where the police should be policing. The part that put me off was that most of the candidates are politically affiliated. Meaning you'll get candidates that will be bias towards/against the government or have a different agenda.[/QUOTE] Pfft. It's a pretty stupid way to make police work. You're just opening the door for populists to get in the way of real policing.

I went and voted yesterday, talking to the poll officers apparently the hall's turnout was easily under 10%. Hopefully it'll be [url=http://www.choosemypcc.org.uk/candidates/area/hampshire]one of the independents that gets in[/url], I'll be pissed if it just turns into a party election

[QUOTE=deltasquid;38474773]Pfft. It's a pretty stupid way to make police work. You're just opening the door for populists to get in the way of real policing.[/QUOTE] Thats why people are annoyed. Also that this is being un-veiled under democracy, when we didnt even get a choice of if we PCC's or not.

To add insult to injury they used an 'AV' style voting system when I voted yes for AV. Atleast it's the Tories who wasted a tonne of money on a terrible vote this time.

There was no information about the candidates in my area. How are you supposed to vote on something you know nothing about?

[QUOTE=Jon27;38474846]There was no information about the candidates in my area. How are you supposed to vote on something you know nothing about?[/QUOTE] They just let the BBC cover a couple of candidates for 2 minutes and hope that was enough. Pathetic. Even if you used the Internet, there is still pithy information about themselves.

I completely forgot about this until my postal vote arrived, and even then I did nothing about it until it was too late. It was, of course, my fault that I didn't bother to engage with this election more, but quite frankly it could have been advertised significantly better than it was.

[QUOTE=Wiggles;38474860]I completely forgot about this until my postal vote arrived, and even then I did nothing about it until it was too late. It was, of course, my fault that I didn't bother to engage with this election more, but quite frankly it could have been advertised significantly better than it was.[/QUOTE] I bought a big red pen to spoil my ballet with and forgot. More fool me.

[QUOTE=Jon27;38474846]There was no information about the candidates in my area. How are you supposed to vote on something you know nothing about?[/QUOTE] We got one flyer through for the conservative candidate, and that was it. Not even a visit from a politician with the opportunity to punch them in the face and then vote for the one that had the nicest feeling nose

The government should make a secure app work around so voting can become a casual thing. Could it work? Take note, that i have no idea what you are given when you enter a voting station because i've never been to vote.

[QUOTE=Daemon;38474880]The government should make a[B] secure app work[/B] around so voting can become a casual thing. Could it work? Take note, that i have no idea what you are given when you enter a voting station because i've never been to vote.[/QUOTE] Secure lol

I had no idea this was even happening until I heard someone mention it yesterday. I usually try to keep up with the news now and then. But somehow this completely missed me. Times like this I realise I know more about what is happening with American politics than my own countries' government.

[QUOTE=Daemon;38474880]The government should make a secure app work around so voting can become a casual thing.[/QUOTE] Won't happen because then you could prove that you've voted for a particular party, making cash-for-votes possible

Ahh, i see. I now know a tad bit more about the voting world in exchange for my dignity on a public forum. Thank you

Honestly I didn't vote for three reasons: 1) They had not campaigned in my area [B]at all[/B], till I looked on the BBC site this morning I had no idea who was even running. 2) No by-election in my area, so no real point going out to vote (maybe a terrible attitude but it appears to be shared by everyone else in the country) 3) Its politically motivated. Seriously, why do PCCs have to be backed by political parties? It just means that had I voted it would have meant even less (there are a [B]lot[/B] of people in Surrey who are going to blindly vote for the candidate the conservative party put forward) I am honestly not surprised the turn out has been so low, does anyone even know what they are being elected to do? Fun fact: It seems that the AV vote had higher turnout...

This is pretty much the entire publicity campaign for these elections [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylaeO1H2YLc[/media]

Why on Earth did they make police commissioners elected? I want someone who knows what they're doing in the police and have worked their way to the top, not some stupid politician who makes a load of bullshit promises to get voted in.

I completely forgot to vote because I spent all day working on a lab report. But the guy I wanted to win, the Independent candidate, won anyway. Possibly because the Tory candidate (who normally Hampshire would have a hard-on for) Michael Mates was pretty terrible, and doesn't even live in Hampshire. [editline]16th November 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=carcarcargo;38475780]Why on Earth did they make police commissioners elected? I want someone who knows what they're in the police, not some stupid politician who makes a load of bullshit promises to get voted in.[/QUOTE] Hence why I wanted an Independant to get in, they're less likely to get tied up in the party political bullshit.

I voted. My mother and I were the only people in the polling station besides three very bored-looking ballot box guys.

I voted, there was only one other person in the polling station, and the two ballot guys. I think Labour won in my area, but there was so little information available, and it strikes me that the police heads should be apolitical, not candidates of specific parties. Just checked, an independant won in my area.

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;38475780]Why on Earth did they make police commissioners elected? I want someone who knows what they're in the police, not some stupid politician who makes a load of bullshit promises to get voted in.[/QUOTE] Although there was almost no publicity regarding this vote, that just sounds ignorant. Most of the candidates were former (both recent and not so recent) officers. There was logic to the vote, but unless there's more money to spend it is pointless.

[QUOTE=Camundongo;38475795] Hence why I wanted an Independant to get in, they're less likely to get tied up in the party political bullshit.[/QUOTE] The independent in my area (I just looked) is a former police officer, the rest are politicians or wannabe politicians. I bet you they won't win when they eventually return the votes.

[QUOTE=Memobot;38475862]Although there was almost no publicity regarding this vote, that just sounds ignorant. Most of the candidates were former (both recent and not so recent) officers. There was logic to the vote, but unless there's more money to spend it is pointless.[/QUOTE] Luckily that was the case, but it's just such a pointless vote. Are we going to start electing our bin men as well now? Or the post man?