[NB: a full transcript of exactly what was said to and by me by the political party members inside the polling station is at the end after this Email.]
To: "Merrick Cockell"; "Returning Officer"; "Notting Barns Ward Safer Neighbourhoods Team"; "BBC News Channel"
Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2010 4:13 PM
Subject: I object most strongly to the presence of political party members inside my polling location accosting people as they enter/depart the large polling room.
Councillor Merrick Cockell, Leader
Royal Borough Kensington & Chelsea
Town Hall
Hornton Street
London W8
Dear Mr Cockell
I object strongly to the presence of the three political party members I encountered today while voting at the Thomas Jones Primary School on St Marks Road just south of Lancaster Road.
The three people each wearing large coloured ribbons representing the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties were inside the school just at the inside entrance to the large voting room seated on a row of chairs and/or standing talking with people.
When I went in, a seated male said "Hi" to me. I ignored him, said nothing and walked into the large room to cast my vote.
As I left studiously ignoring these three people, one of them, a woman, started talking to me. I paused, looked back, and she got up from her chair coming over to me asking "Have we got your . . .".
I cut her off at this point telling her that I objected to their presence inside the polling place. She then repeated what I had said to the other two adding "We are entitled to be here."
I said nothing in response to this claim and added that I would be making a complaint as I left.
I assumed that she was going to ask me for my polling card information which has happened in the past. I've always objected to this event each time I've voted and have been against this since my first vote in this country and council in 1992.
I do not believe that any political party member has the right to be inside the polling area carrying out political activity regardless of what it might be.
No one has the right to know my personal details from my polling card. It is private information which only those in an official voting verification role have the right to request when they give me a ballot.
The fact that I am voting is a matter of privacy as well and is my right to disclose as I please but not the right of political party members to know that I was present casting a ballot at any given time.
I also believe that they prey upon people by pretending to be in an official capacity inside the school polling location at the entrance of the actual voting room thus intimidating people to provide the information as if it were an officially required act.
The woman had asked me "Have WE got your . . . " The "WE" carried air official authority request as if they were entitled to something and acting in an official voting capacity.
She also claimed she had the right to be there which I do not believe to be the case.
I do not believe that political party members should be any closer than some 50 feet from the street entrance to the polling place on election day in any a capacity that reflects electioneering as was the case here.
After I left, I walked down St Marks Road to the north encountering a PCSO and regular police officer talking at the corner of what believe might have been Bartle Road.
I stopped and let them know about this situation that I considered to be wrong leaving it to their discretion about what to do given overall problems in the area and whether or not this is actually something which is contrary to rules/regulations regarding polling place electioneering.
Sincerely yours
Gary D Chance
cc Returning Officer, Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
Notting Barns Ward Safer Neighbourhoods Team
BBC News Channel
Addendum not included in the Email: Human rights violation of privacy by non-polling station staff asking me for my "number" and/or details as it actually happened inside the polling station as described in the above Email:
13:16:17 "Hello, sir," said male political party member sitting on chair right next to entrance of the voting room amid talking by female who was standing with a male. I ignored him and went into voting room.
13:16:32 "Hello," I said as I began the voting process.
13:18:59 "Sir," says a female party member sitting in chair as I passed by from the voting room toward the exit; "Will you excuse me," she asks. "Have we got your number or your [date/data to] requirements?" she asked.
13:19:04 "I strongly object to your presence here, and I'm asking you to leave the premises. You're not supposed to be on the premises . . ." I said.
13:19:10 "Yes, we are. We're allowed to be," said a female. "Yes, we really are," said what sounds like a second female voice.
13:19:13 "I will register a complaint about this," I said. "Fine you do," said a female. "All three parties," I added.
13:19:17 "You mustn't have been here very long. I think . . . ," said a female as I departed.
By my accent she was recognising me as a foreigner while implying I was not knowledgeable of polling station procedures permitting them to be present asking for details from my polling card which was private and confidential to anyone except polling station staff. This is a ploy to undermine people personally in order to intimidate and obtain information requested. I refused to engage in any kind of conversation and departed.
