Serious Vote Stealing Issue/Rant

[Drewster]

Breaking the habit of a lifetime I am contributing to a thread that is loosely "Politics"....

As many of you know I have been working out of the UK for a period....
As many (others) of you may know a General Election has been called....

Because I won't be in the UK for the election - I won't be able to cast my vote in person...... "Not a problem - you would think.... I certainly thought that".....

A few weeks ago some nice little "Official Polling Cards" dropped on Mr&Mrs Drewsters doormat.....
Mrs D glanced at them and thought "Whooopy Tulip!......... Oh hang on Drewster won't be here then..... Oh its OK there is a bit here about Proxy Voting...... Oooo look there is a deadline for that... 26April.... No Problem D will be home before then...... "

Meanwhile Drewster carries on earning pennies.....
Mrs D mentions Proxy Vote via skype one evening..... No problem cos you'll be home before then........

Another thing that some of you may have heard about - a large-ish Volcano erupted in Iceland and caused a few issues with Air transport..... including.......

Drewster cannot fly home as scheduled due to the total shutdown of European airspace.......... eventually manages to reschedule flight home on 26 April (yep that 26 April).........

On 26 April Drewster is up bright and early and heads for the airport.... various issues and problemettes leading to a noticeable delay in flight....... eventually gets to Heathrow.... Taxi home....... M25 is a bit of a mare... not least cos I hit it about 2 hours later than "expected"........... finally get home early evening.......
<Confession> P(r)oxy Voting wasn't No 1 on my "to do list" but as it was after 5 they weren't open anyway.....

Next morning 27th..... Looks at Polling card.... Proxy Voting deadline yesterday...... but its OK "Proxy Voting can be arranged after the deadline in 'exceptional circumstances'".... and lets be honest a erupting Volcano closing down European Airspace for over a week preventing 100s of thousands of people getting "home" to UK is pretty exceptional......

So Drewster phones the number on the card..............
<Sorry - all of our operators are busy..............>
Eventually gets an answer......
Drewster: Hello I would like to arrange a proxy vote please.... I know the deadline was yesterday but I have been unable to get back to the country due to the Volcano........
UnidentifiedOperator: Ooooooooooo errrrrrrr thats not this number....... errrrrrr
D: Well <ha ha> I have phoned the number printed on the Polling Card.......
UO: Errrrrrrrrrrr hang on........
<Stage whisper> Ethel!! WTF do I do..... Someone talking about Poxy Voting??
Errrrrrrr won't keep you long.........
Oh..... here you are Sir - you should phone this number........
D: Well I would be grateful if you could transfer me as I wouldn't want to wait in another queue.......
UO: Oh yeah! yes I can do that...... hang on...............
<ringing phone>
AnotherUO: Hello.... Hello.....
D: <Deep breath> Hello I would like to arrange a proxy vote please.... I know the deadline was yesterday but I have been unable to get back to the country due to the Volcano........
AUO: No - we can't do that.... we can only do that in exceptional circumstances.......
D: Oh! Could you give me an idea of what counts as exceptional - if Western Europe being shut doesn't??
AUO: Well I can ask for you - but they don't normally....
D: Sorry - You said "You can ask - but they don't normally"....
Do you mean you will ask if they will treat me as exceptional..... or that you will ask what exceptional circumstances are?
AUO: <Tee Hee> No I mean I will ask if they will allow you........ <Tee Hee>
D: <pointed> Thank you.........
<Twiddle thumbs etc>
AUO: No! They only do it if its exceptional..........
D: Well could you put me through to them please because I think that the situation with the Volcano is pretty exceptional.... we only have an election every few years and I wouldn't want to lose my one chance to vote.....
AUO: Oh... yeahhhhh!..... Errrrrrrrrrrrr I'll put you through........
<Twiddle thumbs etc>
YetAUO: Hello... How can I help........
D: Has your collegue explained my situation?
YAUO: No - I just answered the phone........
D: <Deep breath> I would like to arrange a proxy vote please.... I know the deadline was yesterday but I have been unable to get back to the country due to the Volcano........
YAUO: Yeah - Lots of people have said that......
D: So you can do it then......
YAUO: No.... we only do that in exceptional circumstances........
D: <Gritting teeth> Well what does the Volcano count as..... If thats not exceptional I really would like to know what is??
YAUO: Yeah... I know what you mean..... but they haven't even mentioned it.....
D: "They"?? Who is they? Can I speak to "them" please........
YAUO: My manager is in a meeting....... I can leave her a message......
D: Thank you - I would appreciate a call as soon as possible.......
<Many hours pass.........>
Eventually Drewsters phone rings...
D: Hello Drewsters residence.....
YAUO: Hello we spoke earlier about Proxy Voting....
D: <'Kin miracle..... a phone call returned> Oh Hello.....
YAUO: I am phoning back because I said someone would....... My manager is still in her meeting......
D: <Somewhat dissapointed> Oh How much longer is the meeting likely to take?.........
YAUO: Well I think she will go straight home..... So you could phone the Electoral Commission.......

That was last week...... I tried phoning the number again.... but its not answering now!!!!

This is OUTRAGEOUS!!!

Not sure wether to "leak" to the press...... "Votes stolen by Faceless Numpty Fu<king Jobsworths!!!

[AtW]

Pzzzzzzzzzzz

[threaded]

One candidate has already been reported to the Police for letting slip what the result will be in her ward.

So go to the press with it. Should be good for a laugh.

[shaunbhoy]

So go to the press with it.

WHS++

Bleeding scandalous!!

[Drewster]

One candidate has already been reported to the Police for letting slip what the result will be in her ward.

So go to the press with it. Should be good for a laugh.

I am fairly sure what the result will be in my constituency..... and its what I would vote anyway..... but still annoying......

[thunderlizard]

lets be honest a erupting Volcano closing down European Airspace for over a week preventing 100s of thousands of people getting "home" to UK is pretty exceptional

It is, but it does not make your circumstances exceptional. A volcano preventing only you from getting home would have made your circumstances exceptional.

[dang65]

This is OUTRAGEOUS!!!

I'm not sure how I feel about this. Who were you going to vote for?

[shaunbhoy]

Fear not Drewster, I expect your proxy vote will be put to good use in some marginal NL seat, ensuring that the incumbent can continue putting their shoulder to the wheel to help Gordon steer us through this crisis.

[Drewster]

It is, but it does not make your circumstances exceptional. A volcano preventing only you from getting home would have made your circumstances exceptional.

Many if not most of the people who couldn't get home - will get home before the election and will be able to use their vote in person if they choose. People (like me) who were both impacted by the Volcano and are unable to vote in person would I (still) contend be exceptional..... its possible (although I grant not demonstrably probable) that I am the only person affected in this specific way.....

But I wasn't intending to argue semantics.......

[thunderlizard]

The essence of your problem is that exceptional circumstances are often used as a justification to curtail democratic freedoms, but seldom to enlarge them.