Quote:
Originally Posted by Barboo
As there has been a breach of the selection rules which will result in some members' votes being wasted, the ballot is clearly invalid.
The rules as published on the party website state:
quote
Candidates may apply to two regions, but this must be disclosed to both regional panels (and to members in the regions if any candidates make it to more than one shortlist).
ends
Two SE candidates - Marta Andreasen and Victor Webb - appear also on the shortlist for London Region, but this has not been disclosed to SE members. These candidates, if elected to both final lists, will have to withdraw from one or the other as European parliament election rules prohibit candidates from standing in more than one electoral region. Some members who vote for these candidates in ignorance of the fact that they may be forced to withdraw, will thus have their votes wasted.
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My immediate reaction to this was that it was probably trivial and wouldn't matter a great deal, but in fact it could have a significant impact. In any given region, there are probably only going to be a few hundred votes cast, and, as many council elections have shown, a few votes difference can elect a different candidate. I would bet that 90%+ of voting members aren't aware that candidates are standing in more than one region, or that they are even allowed to do so, and that includes branch chairmen. I also suspect that there are a good many members who wouldn't vote for someone standing in more than one region simply because it looks a bit desperate.