Election Canvassing

[MickJ]

I have received a leaflet from the Lib Dems this morning, election day.

 

I always thought that it was illegal to canvas on the day of the election?

 

Someone please put me straight on this.

 

Contacted the local Council for information, still waiting for them to get back to me, seems they are rather busy today, for some reason.

[ayjay]

Canvassing involves knocking on your door and soliciting your vote, a leaflet through the letter box is not canvassing.

[Brian Carragher]

Its not illegal to knock on someones door on polling day to encourage them to go out and vote thats why parties canvass before an election and catch polling numbers of those going to vote. When the two are compared at the candidates election HQ you can tell if your potential voter has voted and if not you then have the opportunity to convince them to do so by knocking on their door

Depending upon the time of polling stations opening will determine whether or not an election communication (leaflet)is legal or not. If the leaflet comes through the door before the polling stations open then its legal , after they open it becomes illegal and both the candidate and agent become liable under election law but not the person who pushed it through your letterbox unless it was one of the previous two mentioned.

Hope this helps

I have run election campaigns before as an agent and candidate and as I understand it the rules have not changed with regard to election communications

Good luck with your local council

Brian

Regardless who people vote for I hope enough people vote and dont stay at home

[MickJ]

A definition of canvassing found on Google.

 

quote:

---

Promotional activities undertaken by political parties and candidates with the objective of gaining the support of the voters.

---

It is therefore not confined to the doorstep or face to face communication.

[MickJ]

Brian

 

The leaflet was delivered between 8:00am and 8:45am

 

Well after the Polling station opened. But according to an election officer at the local council they did not break any election rules or the Law.

 

I was with you on this and was surprised by the Council officials answer. More research needed I think.

[Brian Carragher]

Mick

I used to organise an early morning leaflet drop in targetted areas on the morning of the poll and the strict guidance of our local returning officer was that leaflets could not be delivered once the polling stations had opened. Should we have done so then we would have been deemed to have broken election law and could be prosecuted and it could in extreme cases lead to the result being challenged and any result in our favour was in danger of being legally overturned.

I'd speak to the Electoral Registration Officer again to get a definitive answer if I were you.

Good Luck

Bri

[ayjay]

MickJ:

A definition of canvassing found on Google.

 

quote:

---

Promotional activities undertaken by political parties and candidates with the objective of gaining the support of the voters.

---

It is therefore not confined to the doorstep or face to face communication.

Mick, I realise that there is more to canvassing than knocking on doors but the question seemed to be concerned with what had occured at your front door.

 

Could these leaflets have been delivered by the postie by any chance?

 

I know they do offer a service in that respect but maybe it's not allowed for political parties.

[chesters1]

bah no-one turned up at my door so i could tell them to fook off :mad: cant want votes that much then

[Lid]

Our street received leaflets at 17:30 today asking us to vote for the Conservative candidate (in the General election). Does anyone know if this is allowed or not?

[Elton]

This is getting a few hots today. Is there an election?