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Blood-stained ballot paper

Alexandra100

Alexandra100

Well-Known Member
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Location
West Yorkshire
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This morning I did my usual fasting finger prick test at about 7am, then hours later started to fill in my postal vote form. Suddenly there were splashes of blood in several places. Efforts to wipe them off failed. Now I am wondering if Health and Safety regs will mean my vote cannot be counted. Does anyone have any ideas about this?
 
Alexandra100 said:
This morning I did my usual fasting finger prick test at about 7am, then hours later started to fill in my postal vote form. Suddenly there were splashes of blood in several places. Efforts to wipe them off failed. Now I am wondering if Health and Safety regs will mean my vote cannot be counted. Does anyone have any ideas about this?
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Providing you have clearly ticked a box, it will be counted.
 
Alexandra100 said:
This morning I did my usual fasting finger prick test at about 7am, then hours later started to fill in my postal vote form. Suddenly there were splashes of blood in several places. Efforts to wipe them off failed. Now I am wondering if Health and Safety regs will mean my vote cannot be counted. Does anyone have any ideas about this?
Click to expand...
As long as you’ve voted for Labour you should be okay.:)
 
Hi,

All I know is for a brief period I worked in a postal administration for a charity organisation regarding entries for a raffle..

Some responses arriving in the envelopes were unexpected agressive & less than "savoury.." (Most folk may be having tea.. I will not elaborate.)
Should the agent recognise the fluid on your submission? It could be construed as a "postal form" of assault & voided in the appropriate waste disposal mannor..
 
Alexandra100 said:
This morning I did my usual fasting finger prick test at about 7am, then hours later started to fill in my postal vote form. Suddenly there were splashes of blood in several places. Efforts to wipe them off failed. Now I am wondering if Health and Safety regs will mean my vote cannot be counted. Does anyone have any ideas about this?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't worry about it but if practical you can always hand your postal vote in to any polling station in your own area/county up to 10 pm on the day. (Not too close to 10 pm please, we will have been in the cold church halls since soon after 6 am:))
If you do this don't seal it until you have spoken to the election officers.They will be able to help. Don't show them who you have voted for though.
 
Fruitella said:
I wouldn't worry about it but if practical you can always hand your postal vote in to any polling station in your own area/county up to 10 pm on the day. (Not too close to 10 pm please, we will have been in the cold church halls since soon after 6 am:))
If you do this don't seal it until you have spoken to the election officers.They will be able to help. Don't show them who you have voted for though.
Click to expand...
If you are going to go to a electoral station you may as well vote on a non bloody one there, forget handing the bloody one in.
 
Tipetoo said:
If you are going to go to a electoral station you may as well vote on a non bloody one there, forget handing the bloody one in.
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Totally agree.. I tend to do it in my local polling station whilst walking the dog..
Good exercise all round.. & there is always an "exit poler" willing to hold my hound.. (Though reluctant to "kiss it" for some reason.. Lol.)
 
Tipetoo said:
If you are going to go to a electoral station you may as well vote on a non bloody one there, forget handing the bloody one in.
Click to expand...
Hi, the records will show that you have been sent a postal vote and a standard voting paper can not be handed out. Neither can a daughter ask mum to vote for whoever on the day because she can't be bothered to get out of bed:). Its a fun day!
 
Fruitella said:
Hi, the records will show that you have been sent a postal vote and a standard voting paper can not be handed out. Neither can a daughter ask mum to vote for whoever on the day because she can't be bothered to get out of bed:). Its a fun day!
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I postal vote here in Australia where voting is compulsory unlike the UK, if I was in the OP position I would send the ballot paper back as is and take my chances on it being accepted.
 
You should be able to get a replacement from the council offices, google yours for details.
 
Fruitella said:
Hi, the records will show that you have been sent a postal vote and a standard voting paper can not be handed out. Neither can a daughter ask mum to vote for whoever on the day because she can't be bothered to get out of bed:). Its a fun day!
Click to expand...

Completely agree ... you can't vote twice
 
Maybe you could put your form in a clear plastic bag (ie food bag) then fold and put in envelope. Include a note as to why it's in the bag, ie so they don't need to touch it (H&S) but can see your vote when they open the envelope

I would have thought that would cover it from all angles ;)
 
Energize said:
Maybe you could put your form in a clear plastic bag (ie food bag) then fold and put in envelope. Include a note as to why it's in the bag, ie so they don't need to touch it (H&S) but can see your vote when they open the envelope

I would have thought that would cover it from all angles ;)
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One could try "blotting" the marks out with a good stain removing agent & allow it to dry?
 
Mr_Pot said:
If it hasn't been sent by now it is probably too late anyway.
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Good point. But we have been going through a fair few PMs the last 3'ish years?

Some folk change lancets less often.. ;):D
 
If you didn't post it you can hand it in still, call the local election office for advice - listed on your local council website
 
Tipetoo said:
I postal vote here in Australia where voting is compulsory unlike the UK, if I was in the OP position I would send the ballot paper back as is and take my chances on it being accepted.
Click to expand...
I presume it’s a fair distance to the “local” polling station?
 
Last edited:
Alexandra100 said:
This morning I did my usual fasting finger prick test at about 7am, then hours later started to fill in my postal vote form. Suddenly there were splashes of blood in several places. Efforts to wipe them off failed. Now I am wondering if Health and Safety regs will mean my vote cannot be counted. Does anyone have any ideas about this?
Click to expand...

If there is a possibility that the staining could cause confusion about where you placed your cross, then your ballot paper would be rejected and your vote not counted.
I would be inclined to request a new ballot paper from my local council electoral registration office.
https://www.gov.uk/voting-in-the-uk#postal-voting
 
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