Serial number on ballot paper

Daniel O Donnel

Why is there a serial number on each ballot paper and stub?

In theory this means all votes can be traced ! Makes filling out the paper in private a bit pointless.

Not long now;)

TouchingVirus

So you don't show up with a few photocopies?

Also, highly unlikely to trace your vote - you're given whatever paper is on top, not a specific ballot paper assigned to your voting card number/name. So they'd have to know the order people showed up in, the starting number of the ballot papers and also find them in the counting hall.

drunkmonkey

Good point, some crooked poll booth staff and it's easy trace your vote. One more sleep till Taoiseach dreams Enda.

Daniel O Donnel

TouchingVirus wrote: »

So you don't show up with a few photocopies?

QUOTE]

True.

Victor

drunkmonkey wrote: »

some crooked poll booth staff and it's easy trace your vote.

Are you suggesting that they go fishing votes out of the box? While people are voting? Or there is a garda, returning officer or personation officer present?

Or are you saying they'll sift through 50,000 votes at the count centre looking for your one?

.BrianJM

TouchingVirus wrote: »

Also, highly unlikely to trace your vote - you're given whatever paper is on top, not a specific ballot paper assigned to your voting card number/name. So they'd have to know the order people showed up in, the starting number of the ballot papers and also find them in the counting hall.

First part O.K. but last time, when I paid attention, they wrote the slip number beside my name.

Victor

Auld-Yin wrote: »

First part O.K. but last time, when I paid attention, they wrote the slip number beside my name.

If they do this, make a complaint.

.BrianJM

It doesn't bother me.

Victor

Auld-Yin wrote: »

It doesn't bother me.

Sure, you may not be worried for yourself, but what about everyone else?

It unconstitutional.

Capt'n Midnight

The used to record the serials against voters names till SF complained about it.

gullmacm

The main concern here is not so much what happens in the polling booth and at the count but what happens to the ballot papers after the elction count is over.
If the serial number of the ballot paper is written down next to each persons name on the the register, then if somebody has access to the baoot papers after the count is finished, it is pretty easy to tell exactly how every single voter actually voted.

The key question is what happen to the actual ballot papers after the election and count are over.

Kimono-Girl

even if they do know after an election who voted for whom does it really matter? or am i just a strange one for not caring if people know who i voted for?

i have my reasons for voting for who i pick, it makes no difference to me if people see who i vote for and if they ask why ill give them my reasons, they might not agree but i wouldn't expect them to.

but what difference does it make if they know who i voted for?

Riskymove

Kimono-Girl wrote: »

but what difference does it make if they know who i voted for?

it makes a lot of difference if you put your conspiracy theory hat on


the local TDs will know you voted for someone else and your gas will be switched off and you will get a severe audit for the Revenue every year, etc etc

The Brigadier

Daniel O Donnel wrote: »

Why is there a serial number on each ballot paper and stub?

In theory this means all votes can be traced ! Makes filling out the paper in private a bit pointless.

Correct - I am very unhappy with how you voted and I will be around later with the boys to have an open and frank discussion with you.

johngalway

Daniel O Donnel wrote: »

Why is there a serial number on each ballot paper and stub?

In theory this means all votes can be traced ! Makes filling out the paper in private a bit pointless.

Not long now;)

I disagree. I was a polling clerk for a couple of elections. Neither myself or the guy with me done any more paper work in relation to individuals other than cross out their names on the register. No time, number or other detail was ever recorded. So your theory is incorrect.

opinion guy

Hmmm I'll be keeping an eye out for this later

queenoferne

If the ballot is secret why is the FF talley clerk in my S Donegal polling station writing down the registration numbers of voters in the order in which they are voting. The FG clerk is simply marking off the names on the voting register and is not recording the order of voting.

The only conceivable motive I can see for recording voters numbers in the order of voting is to match the voters to the serial numbers on ballot papers and find out which which traditional FF voters have switched to Doherty

FF till now have owned Donegal and their minions are everywhere in local government so getting hold of used ballot papers to trace how someone voted is not beyond their powers.

P. Breathnach

queenoferne wrote: »

If the ballot is secret why is the FF talley clerk in my S Donegal polling station writing down the registration numbers of voters in the order in which they are voting. The FG clerk is simply marking off the names on the voting register where and is not recording the order of voting....

If that is happening, it is wrong. You would be serving the public interest by making a complaint to the polling clerk, and if it is not acted on, to the returning officer for the constituency.

gullmacm

Queenofferne,

You should go to the Garda who is standing outside the polling station, inform him as to what is going on, accompany him to confront the clerk, and report it to the returning officer.
Making a note of ballot paper numbers is a serious offence.

.BrianJM

gullmacm wrote: »

Queenofferne,

You should go to the Garda who is standing outside the polling station, inform him as to what is going on, accompany him to confront the clerk, and report it to the returning officer.
Making a note of ballot paper numbers is a serious offence.

Can you provide a link to the statute, or other legal reference, concerning that.
I think that if somebody does take action they would prefer to know that they have a valid reason.

p28559

Daniel O Donnel wrote: »

Why is there a serial number on each ballot paper and stub?

In theory this means all votes can be traced ! Makes filling out the paper in private a bit pointless.

Not long now;)

few reasons...

so they know how many ballot papers are in each book.
so they know by looking at the number on the stub how many they have given out.
so people cant slip in a few that they prepared earlier at home...

the electoral act 1992 i think explainis the consequence of tracing someone's ballot paper in order to establish how they voted.

parties dont have clerks invloved in issuing ballot papers in the polling station. but a candidate can have an agent there to ensure that no one impersonates a voter. parties do go to polling stations and ask how many people voted so far so they get an idea of the trends..radio stations ask too..

people can buy a copy of the marked register after the election....parties and acadamics but it so that they can quote stats at us all when making sound bites.............

gullmacm

See section 101 of the Electoral ACt 1992

Procedure for voting.
101.—(1) Subject to the provisions of sections 38 , 64 , 79 , 99 , 100 , 103 , 104 , 105 and 111 , the presiding officer shall deliver a ballot paper to a Dáil elector who applies therefor and declares his name and address.
(2) Immediately before a ballot paper is delivered to a Dáil elector—
(a) the number (including polling district letter) and name of the elector as stated in the register shall be called out,
(b) the ballot paper shall be marked with the official mark,
(c) a mark shall be placed in the register against the number of the elector to denote that a ballot paper has been issued to that elector but without showing the number of the ballot paper so issued.

gullmacm

queenoferne wrote: »

If the ballot is secret why is the FF talley clerk in my S Donegal polling station writing down the registration numbers of voters in the order in which they are voting. The FG clerk is simply marking off the names on the voting register and is not recording the order of voting.

The only conceivable motive I can see for recording voters numbers in the order of voting is to match the voters to the serial numbers on ballot papers and find out which which traditional FF voters have switched to Doherty

FF till now have owned Donegal and their minions are everywhere in local government so getting hold of used ballot papers to trace how someone voted is not beyond their powers.

Contact details for the DSW returning officer as follows:
Donegal Circuit Court Office AddressCourthouse
Letterkenny
Co. Donegal
Phone+353 (0) 74 91 28711Fax+353 (0) 74 91 21097EmailLetterkennyCC@Courts.ieHead of OfficeMs. Geraldine O'Connor County Registrar MapLetterkenny.

opinion guy

Saw none of this shenanigans at my polling station