Outgoing Chairman of the Board of Conservators Prue Whyte bids farewell
‘Firstly I’d like to give my thanks to Appointed Conservator Mr Michael Rappolt, who as Returning Officer has overseen the election process in conjunction with ERS. Turnout was up by 28% from 16.4% to 21% which is very much welcomed and with the voice of the electorate having been received, I wish the new Board every success in moving forward from the turbulence of the past three years, to focus on the future governance of our cherished Commons.’
Another welcome trend in voting patterns was that the percent of those electors voting on-line, at 46% of the total of those voting, was much higher this time than last and this has saved the WPCC in the region of £700 in postage.
In addition, ERS has provided a more detailed analysis of the 365 votes that were invalid. Of these 285 were spoilt papers, the majority where the voter had cast too many votes by writing in their own names into the box intended for candidates who nominated themselves after the ballot papers were printed as allowed by the 1871 Parliamentary Act. These voters effectively cast 6 votes rather than the 5 allowed. Of the rest 8 were duplicates where the voter had cast a vote on-line and also submitted a postal response and 55 were from people on the Electoral Register who are under the age of 18 years of age whose vote had to be discounted.'
Prue Whyte
March 9, 2018