[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Livia

But Joey, you know a half-decent agent will argue for every spoilt ballot paper. If I'd seen this one I would have argued for it for my candidate, and so would you probably! I remember having argued over a paper where the voter dad drawn a penis next to the Conservative candidate and nothing next to any of the others and I ended up having it counted. You have to be willing to argue and it depends on the returning officer... but when all the agents and reps gather round to inspect the spoilt papers, you can guarantee a couple will be argued for and added to the result.

Hmm I don't know Livia.

I know when I've been at a count I've noticed votes that hadn't a cross.
Which were discounted.

There was a ballot paper too where a cross was more in the Conservative candidates box, with a smaller part of the cross in the box below him.
It was discounted.

As you point out it will depend on the returning officer.

Personally, I wouldn't accept a single ballot paper that had more than a cross on it.

It's simple enough to do, just put even the smallest or largest cross beside a candidates name.
Anything else should warrant it being a vote thrown out and wasted by the voter.

I agree though,if the returning officer included this one,.that's his or her right.
To me however and I think as to the rules of voting, it's wrong.

Even moreso in a tight contest as this one appears to have been.