EU Referendum Vote - Watch it live here

a reply to: Irishhaf

The pencil thing is just a bit of last-minute mud-slinging. Of course there would be no rubbing out.

The Mirror-Nervous voters taking pens

And now another rumour circulating on social media is seemingly convincing a lot of people that the Remain campaign is trying to 'rig' the election by rubbing out votes cast in pencil.

The Guardian - EU ballot papers: pencils draw conspiracy fears

This one also has a picture of the ballot slip.

The Electoral Commission has reminded voters that ballot papers marked in pencil or pen are equally valid, in response to concerns expressed on social media that votes not written in ink could be rubbed out and altered. Polling stations routinely provide short pencils, attached to the booth by string, for people to mark their ballot paper with. But some, mostly pro-Brexit, voters have been urging people to bring their own pens to ensure their papers are not altered in favour of a remain vote.

But a spokeswoman for the Electoral Commission said there was no legal requirement to use either, and voters were entitled to write in ink if they preferred. “The use of a pen or pencil is not specified in legislation. Pencils have been traditionally used for the purpose of marking papers and are available in polling stations, but voters are more than welcome to bring their own pens with them.”

originally posted by: Irishhaf
Hey what did our UK members seen?

Some of the things im listening to are reporting nothing but pencils to vote with and stay people campaigning right outside the polling booth?

Just curious if any of this frothing at the mouth stuff was seen by folks here.

Every vote has always been with pencils.
The taking pans thing came from twitter I think.

As for campaigning outside, I never saw any at mine and as far as I'm aware there shouldn't be any in other locations either.

Just come back from the polling station. Let's hope we wake up to an independent Britain tomorrow!

a reply to: SprocketUK
Yes, until the invention of ballpoints (and the first ballpoints were not always dependable for very long), pens needed to be supplied with separate ink, in one form or another. There was always the danger that the ink would run out.
So the supplied pencil was simply the most practical solution to the problem.

When do the polls close?

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: SprocketUK
Yes, until the invention of ballpoints (and the first ballpoints were not always dependable for very long), pens needed to be supplied with separate ink, in one form or another. There was always the danger that the ink would run out.
So the supplied pencil was simply the most practical solution to the problem.

Cheap, too.



2200 the polls close.

Was curious thanks for the responses... always better to get a first hand account versus hoping the press/internet gets it write.

Some info on rules of conduct on voting day:

Telegraph Is it illegal to tweet how I vote

Section 1 of the Polling Stations (Regulation) Act 2007 states: “It shall be an offence to engage in campaigning activity within a prescribed area around a polling station on the day of a relevant election at any time during the period in which the polling station is open. “The “prescribed area” referred to in subsection shall be an area represented by a circle with a radius of 250 metres from the main entrance of a polling station”. In polling booths individuals are banned from seeking or obtain any information as to how a voter is about to vote or has voted. Nor can anyone communicate to any other person any information as to how a voter is about to vote or has voted, under Section 66 of the Act. Those attending a polling station are also forbidden to obstruct or interfere with a vote, or to induce any voter to display his or her marked ballot paper.

a reply to: schuyler

Polls close at 10pm

originally posted by: khnum
LOL theres always only two choices and O the drama as its down to the wire then miraculously postal votes or whatever at the last second deliver the outcome the powers that be want,the illusion of choice.Its all bloody theatre people.

The Uk is actually one of the most honest places to vote in the world. If you go by the bookmakers who are usually correct it is
1/6 staying in and 4/1 to be out.. I call 2% win to stay in..

a reply to: YarlanZey

That's interesting, I must assume the "Vote Leave" tee shirts me and my son were wearing today was not considered as 'campaigning activity' by the officials at the polling station then.

We both wore them for work today and our lunch break walking through town was crazy!
I've never had so many random strangers come up and talk to us, lines like "Good one lads" shouted from across the street, people smiling and introducing themselves then talking about why they are voting leave. One 85 year old man went into complete rant mode about his sorrow over the way the UK sleep walked into a political union he never voted for. He was swearing/cussing, so passionate!

The tee shirts actually turned what should have been a chilled 30 minutes into and hour of talking to strangers lol.
Not a single person introduced themselves to say they disagree, and it surprised me and my son.
In fact, the only faces that looked at our tee shirts and failed to smile or be indifferent were a group of Eastern Europeans hanging around outside a Polish grocery store, and they gave angry stares which we laughed at. Provocatively I'll admit, # them, they don't have the vote today, unlucky.

Hope my anecdotal and crazy experience today reflects the views of the rest of the UK...but I'm a dreamer so hey, we'll find out soon.

Good on you!

After the recent shooting, it's good to hear that people haven't been put off sharing their views so publicly or swayed to change their vote to remain.

They tried to brand the Brexiters as gun/knife welding, racist, psychopaths, but they failed.

Unfortunately that won't stop it from being a "remain" victory though as I fear this outcome was already decided.

Am I right in thinking that the biggest issue in this election is immigration?

Is that the most irksome thing about being in the EU that will determine how people vote?

originally posted by: ipsedixit
Am I right in thinking that the biggest issue in this election is immigration?

Is that the most irksome thing about being in the EU that will determine how people vote?

Not for me, purely ideological questions of sovereignty and being absolutely ruled by British people, in Britain, who I can either vote against, or protest, employ civil disobedience, even riot if I have to if they # us over as a people.

The UK being a minority vote in a 28 nation political union is what I voted against earlier today.

a reply to: schuyler

For those in the U.S., the polls in Britain end at 5Pm EST. I guess that's when the media etc will be allowed to report exit polls etc. The official tally won't be reached until early tomorrow.

a reply to: grainofsand

I read somewhere that the youth vote is likely to be a Remain vote, based on a preference for "Euro-access" in terms of employment and mobility.

originally posted by: Wookiep
a reply to: schuyler

For those in the U.S., the polls in Britain end at 5Pm EST. I guess that's when the media etc will be allowed to report exit polls etc. The official tally won't be reached until early tomorrow.

Live results coverage on BBC One from 21:55 BST, online from 22:00 BST and from 22:00 GMT on BBC World News

the ftse and pound finish the day up, so they thankfully expect remain.
i see the brexit babies are lining excuses and conspiracies up already.

originally posted by: ipsedixit
Am I right in thinking that the biggest issue in this election is immigration?

Is that the most irksome thing about being in the EU that will determine how people vote?

It's the one that has grabbed the headlines, every time someone has tried to move the debate along someone has dragged it back.

a reply to: ipsedixit

Yup, I'm hearing that all the young and brainwashed "social justice warriors" are voting to remain while accusing everyone who disagrees of being racist etc. Britain is not very different from the U.S. It's amazing how many people can't see the social engineering going on eveywhere..