The Battle for Fermanagh and South Tyrone

[Canalman]

As it looks likely that there will be another election shortly I would think (regardless of the result today) that Gildernew in interviews etc should thank and rethank the SDLP voters who voted for her and NOT whinge about its decision to stand.


One other thing I notice is the absence of smiling from the Sinn Féin MPs........ imo they need to take some outside PR advice...... although to be fair Gildernew is the exception.

The Unionists seemed from TV a more pleasant group.

[mick999]

are they missing or are they being looked for in relation to the mark on the paper

I believe that this is the analysis of the spoiled votes ...


FST Count staff on lunch break. Going to be a long day....

Just to correct myself, it appears that there are a few extra ballot papers discovered ..

Both sides havel legal teams there.
36 more ballot papers counted, than were issued  !!

[orangeman]

Looks like ending up in court.



Hanging Chad time alright.

[Cde]

As it looks likely that there will be another election shortly I would think (regardless of the result today) that Gildernew in interviews etc should thank and rethank the SDLP voters who voted for her and NOT whinge about its decision to stand.


One other thing I notice is the absence of smiling from the Sinn Féin MPs........ imo they need to take some outside PR advice...... although to be fair Gildernew is the exception.

The Unionists seemed from TV a more pleasant group.

try living with them

[mick999]

BBC now reporting the 36 extra vote story ...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/northern_ireland/8667134.stm

Sources have claimed 36 more ballot papers were counted in Fermanagh South Tyrone than were recorded as having been issued by the Electoral Office.

In addition, it is understood a handful of what have been described as suspect papers have been identified.

There has been no adjudication yet on these ballot papers.

[Zapatista]

Mistakes made at the booths while marking of the register i'd say. The same could be found in any constituency. I'd be very surprised if there was that type of stupid fraud at play. Voting for your brother or what not i expect but printing ballot papers is a little hard to see.

[haranguerer]

If you were going to do it you wouldnt be stopping at 36 either. Its an administrative error rather than fraud I reckon

[Bensars]

It said they were tracking them by the barcodes. The postal ballots had the barcode on the back and the normal ballot had it at the front.  Surely there is no way of tracking who was assigned a particular piece of ballot paper ?

[Franko]

Cant be the case - if it's possible to identify who voted for who then each and every ballot is scrap and the election a farce.

[passedit]

Cant be the case - if it's possible to identify who voted for who then each and every ballot is scrap and the election a farce.

It is and it is

[StGallsGAA]

A green, red, white & blue UK rainbow coalition govt between Conservatives, DUP & Sinn Fein in the offing.  You heard it here first!

[Zapatista]

Cant be the case - if it's possible to identify who voted for who then each and every ballot is scrap and the election a farce.

I'd say it's very possible. It might be illegal to findout and publish it though.

[StGallsGAA]

Cant be the case - if it's possible to identify who voted for who then each and every ballot is scrap and the election a farce.


I'd say it's very possible. It might be illegal to findout and publish it though.

You cannot identify a voter by their ballot.  It's the foundation stone of democracy.

[strongbow316]

I believe that regardless of the outcome in FST, this is a big result for Sinn Fein. I think that the SDLP have probably polarised a lot of there followers and there will be a big swing to Sinn Fein in the stormont elections.

Sinn Fein will be officially the largest party in Northern Ireland on the basis of overall vote's, after the FST result comes in. It surely wont be long now till they are the largest party in stormont, with a Sinn Fein 1st Minister.

Either way, this has been a big result for Sinn Fein!!!!!

[Zapatista]

Cant be the case - if it's possible to identify who voted for who then each and every ballot is scrap and the election a farce.


I'd say it's very possible. It might be illegal to findout and publish it though.

You cannot identify a voter by their ballot.  It's the foundation stone of democracy.

http://www.hart.gov.uk/index/your_council/democracy_elections/even_more_about_elections/is_my_vote_secret.htm