Tired

The big day. 

I was up at 5am to be at one of the local polling places for opening time (7am). The snow shower as I enjoyed my coffee was not a good omen. 

Then I shared duties with another activist - 2 hours on and 2 off until the polls closed. 

A few changes have come along as a result of the pandemic. We were not allowed to offer party literature to voters - for obvious reasons. We have more polling places in the constituency to reduce the number of staff administering the system and the numbers of voters using each place. Then we had the usual distancing and hygiene measures. 

I did go inside the polling place to get turnout figures, and it seemed as safe as possible. 26% had chosen postal voting, which I suspect is higher than usual due to the pandemic. 

Early on a lady asked me to explain the regional list voting system (Scottish Parliament elections use the D’Hondt method) before she went in. I wanted to self combust. Ten minutes later she wished she hadn’t asked. 

She was intending to vote for “us” so I hope I didn’t put her off. Sometimes people ask why we bother with this election day stuff. I point out the 2017 Westminster election when one of “our lot” won a nearby constituency by 2 votes. They all count.

The Blip is the Abbotshall Church, and the voting took place in its church hall.