I Voted for the First Time as a New UK Citizen! // USA vs UK voting methods

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Final thoughts: might restart the UK petition for "I voted" stickers, but overall happy to participate.

[@danielhalse9514]

@@GirlGoneLondonofficial Checkout the Monster Raving Loony Party and similar protest parties for the UK history of silly protest votes. Some got seats on specific local issues when the big parties ignored locals.

[@lawrenceabbott5292]

Vote REFORM to close the borders and stop the overcrowding of this once greatt country. I hope GirlGone London is bringing a STEM skill to this country, if not you are part of the problem. Remember this when you make these KZbin videos. It is not some popularity contest. In the past fourteen years this country has received six million people. People who have lived here for their whole life have paid into the system now the roads, schools, hospitals are being put under treamendous strain from people who think the UK is just some KZbin popularity contest.

[@swishbish]

@@lawrenceabbott5292 You know she literally immigrated to the UK

[@keninchicago]

​@@lawrenceabbott5292Reform party is the GOP party in UK. Fear, racism, and ignorance.

[@stingersplash]

​@@lawrenceabbott5292jog on gammon.

[@Paul_Allaker8450]

"You're an adult, not a 5yr old going to the dentist" that was brutal, but necessary....😂😂 Welcome to our democracy Kalyn. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@Ally-StaffyLover]

😂😂😂

[@ReedoTV]

That was his polite way of saying it 😂😂

[@capt.bart.roberts4975]

That's London! We're a bit more welcoming down on The Sunny South Coast of England! We've been free of The Tory yoke defiantly, by both Labour and Green politicians all through this last unpleasantness. It's been mitigated by having a Labour council as well. I've watched on with horror at the absolute venality of The Tories, right down to the wire, when a bunch of MET officers and people in Richi's office put down a maximum bet of £100! They screwed their futures for a few thousand quid. The sooner we start looking into this, for the rot at the heart of government, the better. I'm also betting more than a few will be off to warmer climes.

[@darrend6643]

I say, do whatever the heck you want, we don't have to do it the same way. Different is interesting

[@ChrisInTheNorth]

I'm glad that was your husband, after the intro I thought it was the polling clerk that said that too you!

[@jenniferloyd-pain4429]

As another American-new Brit I also just voted in my first British election. It was so much more straightforward here and wonderful to have a voice at last.

[@Rokurokubi83]

Congrats, and welcome to our odd little island, fellow Brit! Exercise your right to vote, you’ve earned it. As an American you have likely grown up with a tendency to avoid health care due to costs. Keep reminding yourself here it’s an essential service. You wouldn’t put off call,ing the fire service if your house was burning down, nor should you put off seeking medical attention if you’re unwell or injured.

[@Crusty_Camper]

You are very welcome and it's good to have you with us.

[@DanDownunda8888]

In Australia YOU MUST VOTE, if you don't you will be fined. Elections are always held on a Saturday to make it somewhat easier for most people to vote. Polling places open from 8am to 6pm local time and postal votes are common. I've been trying to find what the penalties are for not voting ,but even the Federal Government website doesn't actually say. Even Co-Pilot says it is too complicated. I'm pretty sure the fine is around $150.00

[@t4bs594]

I voted today. The polling place is open from 07:00-22:00. I walked there. It took nearly 5 minutes. There was nobody outside with guns. Nobody threatened me. Nobody harassed me and nobody said it was rigged. Welcome to the UK. Thanks for voting.

[@StephanieG1]

When I went to vote in the Scottish Independence referendum of 2014 there was an air of menace outside the polling station which I had never experienced before or since. The independence referendum was so divisive in Scotland that good friends fell out permanently in many cases and there was ill feeling within families which lasted for several years after 2014.

[@lloydcollins6337]

@t4bs594 Exactly the same for me but I saw a dog en route too.

[@benfordslaw5105]

Yeah we have proper voter ID here,. Its so much better than the insecure American system.

[@eileencritchley4630]

Indeed I walked the 10minutes up the road and was greeted with a big smile and hello by my local councilor who runs the local food bank, where I've helped out out a few time's. The ID checker greeted me with a big smile and check my ID and told me where to go next. The ladies at the desk check my card against their list, handed the card back and gave me my ballet paper. Told me the information on the ballot form and how to use it. They said make sure you have voted for who you want to vote for then put it into the Ballot Box. Simple easy and then walked out again. No fuss whatsoever and pleasant smiles from all involved in the process. I got to fuss a lot of dogs on the way out as some people did their voting while doing their normal Dog walk. The dogs were allowed into my voting station.

[@bobagorof]

​@@eileencritchley4630No dogs allowed in my polling station 😢

[@TukikoTroy]

I voted. Have done since 1976.... and STILL the bloody government keeps getting in.

[@IIChristisKingII]

Doesn't matter who you vote for the deep state will always be there pulling the strings.

[@tazgecko]

lol. What's the definition of insanity ...

[@PeterStone-ch9dw]

@@tazgecko Voting Labour.

[@matthewjamison]

"If voting made a difference, they wouldn't let us do it" ~ Mark Twain

[@PianoDentist]

“If voting changed anything, they’d make it illegal,” - Emma Goldman

[@samaden]

Voted. Have done in every election since 2001. Also “because I’m not 5” is the winner of the put down of the day award, brilliant 😂

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Thanks for watching!

[@Jason_L10]

The only GE ive not voted in since 1986 was the 2019 as i had no faith in any of the parties so i spoiled the paper by writting none of the above across it.

[@samaden]

@@Jason_L10 yes, just about managed to vote in that one but there certainly were no easy choices!

[@bobm4378]

@@Jason_L10 so you made space for someone else to vote for who you did not want.. its like you are in a q at BK, and tell the next person to go, then when you get there they say 'sorry that was the last one, it will take 30 mins or more for the next...'

[@wessexdruid7598]

@@bobm4378 He voted. The number of spoiled ballots is counted and sends a message - whereas not voting at all is just apathy.

[@joyatodd]

The idea of voting digitally gives me the willies. I really like the physicality of paper voting and that every single vote gets scrutinised by the parties as well as the official vote counters. To me that is democracy in action as it happens.

[@migry]

Particularly if Fujitsu are responsible for the software 😂

[@jons9721]

I think we have the advantage in the UK that the voting system is standardised over the entire country and the actual counting itself is totally apolitical and trusted . The people we elect are a different matter of course

[@joyatodd]

@@jons9721 Our NZ electoral system is based on your system, thank goodness. I'm not sorry to have left FFP behind though. We get much better representation of people choices of left/right/green/maori than is possible in FFP. Not saying our politicians are better but the representations of ideas/philosiphies is broader.

[@iMoD190]

it seems to have worked for nations like Estonia, but it still sounds too risky to me. these systems will always be less secure than paper votes, and the current geopolitical climate makes election interference all the more likely.

[@joyatodd]

@@iMoD190 Yup. It's one area where digitallity is totally inappropriate. It's a bit like having loaded guns in a kindergarden toy box.

[@andywilliams7323]

Your husband's response to the sticker question was epic. 🤣

[@bobm4378]

the point is, who pays for all that stuff?? would that money better go on better things???

[@stephenphillip5656]

He probably slept on the sofa that night though...🤭

[@juliaroberts4962]

When I was young my parents taught me that historically people died for the right to vote, particularly as a woman, and that I shouldn't waste that right by not voting. As a British person it wasn't so much put to me as a patriotic thing, more that I should appreciate this freedom.

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Definitely true - thanks for sharing and for watching!

[@Poliss95]

@juliaroberts4962 Are you thinking of the Suffragettes? They only wanted women of property over 30 to vote. They didn't want to give any of us plebs the vote, and that includes men.

[@davidwright5094]

"patriotic thing, more that I should appreciate this freedom" For me, that's a debatable distinction. "patriotic" connotes support of your country. In the case of UK one of the attributes of that country -- one of its defining characteristics -- is that it is the place which provides and protects that freedom. Valuing this attribute of your country is a component of your patriotism.

[@NataliePine]

​@@davidwright5094I'm not so sure, I'm one of the least patriotic people imaginable and I see my vote as an important part of that! I think it's more that the vote is an exercise of one's freedoms and a way to protect them, and if you see freedom as something associated with the UK as a state then that could be an extra component in your appreciation of that freedom but it's not necessarily an essential ingredient.

[@StimParavane]

What do you mean "particularly as a woman"? How many ordinary men fought and died for kings and Barons before we did away with this system? Women hardly sacrificed anything throughout history.

[@thelaymanschannel6951]

I found it amusing that our election in UK is being held on July 4th (the day you said goodbye to the King), and the US election is on November 5th, (the day certain men decided they too wanted to say goodbye to the King!). I don't know what to make of that, but enjoy the fireworks!!!

[@darrenuk]

Scotus has basically just made presidents king with their immunity ruling as presidents are now immune from being prosecuted

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

It also nearly coincides with when the US Supreme Court decided to re-introduce regnant immunity in the US, which is something General Washington's Continental Army fought to abolish. What cruel irony. 😅

[@Phiyedough]

Yes, I call 4th of July USexit. I wonder if in 248 years Brits will be celebrating Brexit day?

[@dawn5227]

​@@Phiyedough brexit would need to bring some positive attributes first for it to be celebrated.

[@barrywhite3467]

@@dawn5227 It will But it will take a few more years to fully sort things out

[@MartinSteed]

Voted nice and early this morning. I really like your husbands british sense of humour, that comment about the stickers made me laugh out loud! Thank you!

[@ravenclawgraduate2900]

I voted at just aftr 7 this morning, the third person to vote at my polling station. Incidentally in the Uk polling stations are organised by the local council and are always in easy distance and the whole process is local government organised on a totally neutral basis. also we don't have registered voters by party as in the Us.

[@ScruffyMisguidedAndBlue]

The whole registered voter thing in the US seems crazy to me as a Brit, the concept seems very undemocratic.

[@carolineskipper6976]

Congratulations on using your UK right to vote for the first time! Like you, I feel it's really important to have an input into who forms the Government. You can't really complain if you didn't vote. It's important, even if you don't fully support any of the options- you can still decide on what you think is a 'least worst' option. I did my duty this morning and rewarded myself with some chocolate in place of a sticker .

[@robinholland1136]

You're absolutely right. There is a cultural phenomenon in England (can't speak for the other countries of the UK), where people who 'don't do politics' and don't vote complain incessantly about the results of an election - no matter which party forms a government. My take on that is, if you can't be bothered to put your cross on a piece of paper, don't complain.

[@itskdog]

​@@robinholland1136 and if you really don't like the whole lot of them, spoil the ballot - at the very least it gets counted in the "spoilt ballot" pile and a message is sent one way or the other. Ultimately I'd love for a "None of the above" option to be added.

[@bobm4378]

@carolineskipper6976: As I have said to many people, if you don't vote, you cannot complain, but worse, the **wrong** person will be voted in! NOTE please add who you are replying to @above - when this post goes to the bottom of 50 or more, it will stop confusion!!

[@Flat-White]

You are complicit in the fake democracy. I didn't vote. If most people don't vote we will find a new way of running our Country. THEY want you to vote, the establishment doesn't care who you vote for as long as you play their game.

[@Flat-White]

I've been shadow banned for spreading the truth of our corrupt system. Don't vote. Dote play their game.

[@KSweeney36]

If you watched the coverage the next day, you’d seen a big difference. How the government changes, the old prime minister and are kicked out and the new go in same day. No transfer taking months, just you lost, you’re out.

[@aphextwin5712]

Which I think is really rare globally. Certainly in all countries where coalitions are necessary, those take some time to negotiate. And with directly elected leaders, there almost always is also a transition period, even if it is only a few weeks.

[@johnroach9026]

@@aphextwin5712 It's definitely the way we've set things up here - the Opposition doesn't need to spend weeks assembling a government, since they already have shadow ministers for everything. The Civil Service is apolitical and will keep functioning regardless of whose in power. All that needs to happen is a couple meetings with the King and a couple speeches, and the government is changed

[@PaulJohn01]

Congrats on voting in the UK for the 1st time no matter who you voted for. Democracy is precious and needs to be nurtured by all of us 👍👍

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Thanks for watching!

[@Phiyedough]

Two parties is not democracy. For proper democracy there would be no parties and your MP could fight for the best deal for your region. As it is they have to disregard the constituents and follow the party whip.

[@razor1uk610]

​​​​@@Phiyedough...if only the party whip in reality was a public lottery selected position, and the MP's were tassel-whipped (no really.. deep welts, cuts or major bruisings), wearing only pajamas & slippers through their districts by the public they are to be representing, or did represent....

[@rayjennings3637]

@@razor1uk610 I've no doubt that some of them probably prefer it that way - with their pyjamas etc!

[@itskdog]

​@@Phiyedough On the flip side, parties help the public at large get a feel for what an individual stands for. Parties only exist because of that easy shorthand which helps people become electable. It may suck, but it's a natural consequence that you can see in every democracy on this planet. On the flip side, at least smaller or single-issue parties aren't useless here unlike the US. It's through a single-issue party gaining popularity that a mainstream party adopted the position of having a referendum on EU Membership in 2015 to not lose seats to that party.

[@kaydisney9872]

I voted. I'm Scottish and Severely Visually Impaired (registered /legally blind) The staff at the Polling Station were so awesome! They only knew in theory how to use the plastic guide we blindies use, but they figured it all out fast, plus the fact they had to read out the candidates and corresponding numbers so I knew where to put the mark. They literally couldn't do enough! So so so happy. (So were they when my Guide Dog snuck under their table so he could sneak eat rubs. He KNOWS he's cute and irresistible 😂😂😂)

[@davetdowell]

I'm English and very, very pleased to hear that your polling staff were very good and made your vote not just possible but a pleasant experience.

[@jameslewis3296]

One other difference between the US and UK elections is that in the UK there is a law which specifies a limit on the amount of money that can be spent by candidates and political parties during election campaigns

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing!

[@rb9580]

Yes, and after every election, every candidate has to submit their list of expenses incurred, so there can be public scrutiny and challenge.

[@HoppityHooper2]

And yet, seeing by what you often get in office, that doesn't seem to work out so well. Wasn't it, among others, that this Rishi Sunak guy wasn't even voted in by the public?

[@productjoe4069]

@@HoppityHooper2he was voted in as an MP by the public. We don’t directly vote for the PM as we are a parliamentary system.

[@Langstrath]

@@HoppityHooper2 He was elected as an MP by the public in his constituency. He just wasn't elected as Prime Minister by the public (but no UK Prime Minister ever is; they are chosen as leader of their party by the party members and become Prime Minister by default if their party holds a majority in the House of Commons at the time whether immediately after an election or between elections if the incumbent resigns). The USA elects Presidents but the UK elects MPs, not Prime Ministers.

[@harrybarrow6222]

I voted. I am passionate that people should exercise their right to vote. Even if it feels like you are a lone voice in your constituency, it does send a message, and who knows, others may be doing the same. There is no place for apathy or complacency in an election.

[@Ramtamtama]

A sticker for voting is like a participation trophy. I always vote, but never wanted recognition for it. Remember, there's no such thing as a wasted vote. Even if your constituency is won by 10s of thousands of votes, every vote counts. The only votes that don't count are those not cast. PS I voted

[@Phiyedough]

Yes, a bit like the concept of graduating from school! In UK every child has to go to school, so completing the number of years required is not considered worthy of an award.

[@bobm4378]

the shock is 40 percent did not vote.. that many votes could change everything...

[@IshtarNike]

Ironically, the parties in power absolutely view large majorities as "wasted" votes. They calculate the amount of campaigning they do in each seat based on the amount of votes they need to just safely get over the line. They don't want wasted votes because to them encouraging people to vote even after they've won is wasted money that could be used campaigning elsewhere. Also, in many cases, millions of votes ARE wasted because anyone voting for a minority party in a safe seat will never see a single jot of political representation in parliament. This is precisely why we need voting reform. Our system is deeply undemocratic.

[@Zadster]

It is probably relevant to say now that in one consituency I know of, the winner was decided by just 18 votes.

[@bobm4378]

@@Zadster ONLY in that Constituency ?? It is not as simple as that in 'first past the post' explanation: During a General Election, 650 constituencies across the country each hold separate contests. To become an MP, a candidate needs the largest number of votes in their constituency. This means every MP has a different level of local support. In many areas, the majority of people will not have voted for their MP. Even if millions of voters support the same party, if they are thinly spread out across the UK they may only get the largest number of votes in a couple of these contests, so only win a few MPs. Tens of thousands of voters supporting a different party, but who live near each other, could end up with more MPs. This means the number of MPs a party has in parliament rarely matches their popularity with the public.

[@MerrickKing]

Tom Scott did an excellent video on why paper voting is the absolute best, and we must never move to computerized voting!!

[@WookieWarriorz]

Yet many many European countries use online and post votes and they have a higher turnout of voters.

[@rodlaughton2318]

It’s slow and inaccurate though

[@carolineskipper6976]

There's nothing more exciting than being at the Count and watching the piles of paper physically mount up on the tables in front of you!

[@rodlaughton2318]

@@carolineskipper6976 but…

[@k7u5r8t4]

@@rodlaughton2318 "slow"????? The UK and also my country Denmark use paper ballots only. And the end results are counted and ready early the next morning ( in the UK ), and between midnight and 1 o'clock in Denmark on election night. When are the end results ready in the "computerized" elections in the US? Btw the usual turnout in Denmark is around 85%. 84.1% last time 2022.

[@StimParavane]

1 signature!!! My faith in British people is restored.

[@elainepettis5075]

You can use your own pen instead of the pencil, but you must make sure it does not smudge or it may not be counted. I'm in the UK and I voted early this morning.

[@graveperil2169]

vote early vote often

[@lynne1461]

Hi, I voted using a postal vote as I am 73 and disabled. Glad to hear you voted for the first time...and so did my 18 year old granddaughter Leah.

[@control4230]

I often wonder if I'm alone in feeling a strange sense of pride when I walk to the polling station and see other random members of the public headed the same way. I know one vote won't make a difference but excercising my right to vote is oddly empowering.

[@bobm4378]

problem is, almost 40 PERCENT of the electorate thought 'one vote wont matter'.. what is the population of 18 to 64 year olds??

[@alanmoss3603]

I think this election is a foregone conclusion - Count Binface for PM!

[@CB-ou4hi]

Mrs Doubtfire

[@PeterStone-ch9dw]

@@CB-ou4hi Dame Edna.

[@anthonyclegg1511]

, 🤣🤣😂😂🐱🐱Brilliant.

[@AlanEvans789]

I've been watching the party political broadcasts on behalf of the Daleks here on KZbin. I have to say, if they were on my polling slip, they'd get my X.

[@PeterStone-ch9dw]

@@AlanEvans789 Even though they have gone woke. Surely the BBC will have the daleks as non binary.

[@janetkenny1735]

I voted. I have done in every local and national election since i turned 18 in october 1980. I think it is an honour to vote especially as a woman. Ladies fought and lost their lives so that i could have this honour and some places in the world women are still not allowed this basic human right.

[@PaulMGleeson]

Well done for voting. Is there a tradition of taking dogs to the polling station in the US. Have a search for all the dogs at polling stations posted today.

[@scots_knight4706]

Glad you were able to vote now, I'm sure you will have looked at all the policies very well. It's a bit confusing here because with our first past the post system and multiple parties you might have to decide do I vote for the party I really like, or the one that has the best chance of defeating the party I dislike ??

[@HA-jq1mu]

A sticker? Thats the funniest thing I’ve ever heard 😂😂😂

[@unvaxxeddoomerlife6788]

They give out stickers here in NZ, but most of our adults do have the intellect of 5 year olds 😬

[@cadifan]

@@unvaxxeddoomerlife6788 "but most of our adults do have the intellect of 5 year olds" like anti vaxxers.

[@larsrons7937]

@@unvaxxeddoomerlife6788 At last year's election here in Denmark they offered a piece of candy with the ballot (at least where I live). I declined, stating "I'm not a child. I came here to vote, not to get free candy."

[@iainsan]

One thing I was surprised that you did not mention was the lack of queues or lines at UK polling stations. Dpending on what time you go, they are generally fairly quiet and you just walk in and straight out again after only a few minutes. I've seen pictures of very long queues outside US polling stations. Have you had that problem in the States? Or am I exaggerating the problem? Reply

[@CanWeNotKnockIt]

The first thing that I thought of when you mentioned stickers was a kid who's been to the dentist🤣

[@ianhutchinson1783]

UK General Election on the 4th July. US Presidential Election 5th November. Sweet irony from a 'I voted!'

[@unvaxxeddoomerlife6788]

I think they're taking the piss. No way that was a coincidence.

[@gilbertarnold-percy]

A reminder to our UK friends. The US Constitution specifically states that all Federal elections will be held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even numbered years. In contrast to the UK, where the PM can call for an election at any time he/she diesires provided it is not more than 5 years since the last Parliamentary election

[@ben_dornie]

Well done and congrats on your first UK vote! Someone else has probably already mentioned it but, in case not, just to point out that postal votes are also allowed in the UK, which is particularly important for those who don't have suitable ID.

[@stevieinselby]

Did you use a pencil to vote in Pencilvannia? 😉 In UK elections there _can_ be local elections at the same time as the general election, but they don't always align because we don't have fixed parliamentary terms. I voted before work this morning, I have never missed a vote in over 25 years. And tonight I'll be working on the count ... that's something else that's different to the USA, as soon as the polls close at 10pm, we start counting the votes, all done by hand, with the results announced through the night and the final result known the following morning.

[@o00nemesis00o]

It's great, there's basically no opportunity for fraud within the in-person voting system we have.

[@andrewmills509]

Well done for voting, really glad your getting involved and making good use of your citizenship your videos are always interesting my favourite one was the one were you were in the USA and you were asking your best friend to guess the working and social benefits in the UK that was brilliant and also makes you think how lucky we are too. 😊

[@charlesdarwin9039]

Another major difference between UK and US is how quickly the hand over happens. If Sunak looses then Starmer will move into Downing Street over the weekend.

[@christopherwaller2798]

Indeed. Some membership organisations such as professional bodies and student unions will have a 'President elect' style arrangement, but we don't really have such a concept of 'position elect' in public office.

[@Pippins666]

@@christopherwaller2798 the weekend?! NO! The next day! .. and because the Civil Service administration stays the same, the reins of power can be picked up immediately

[@karatepielover]

@@Pippins666 The same day ? Within about an hour in fact. Yes i am a pedant.

[@faithlesshound5621]

There was an exception on 28th February 1974, when Edward Heath lost the general election to Harold Wilson but stayed in power until 4th March while trying to negotiate a coalition agreement with Jeremy Thorpe, the Liberal leader. TV news reporters spoke of the "sinister delay."

[@Pippins666]

@@faithlesshound5621 yes, I remember. In the fptp system such possibilities of a coalition occur rarely. it is general for the outgoing prime minister to be allowed by the monarch to attempt to form a government. This often occurs in countries with PR systems

[@michaelhannah5376]

It was drummed into me from a very early age by my mother that it is my duty to vote, people died to win you the vote. Respect it!!

[@andyxox4168]

Who died to win the right for you to vote .. you seem to have a male name but perhaps you’re reference to the death of a suffragette? (though their campaign of terrorism might not be exactly as it is now portrayed?)

[@MattieBeekeeper]

​@@andyxox4168 the vote was only extended to working class men in 1918. Many many groups over the centuries fought for that, not just for women

[@MisterStuzy]

I’d say they fought for your freedom to choose to vote or not.

[@MattieBeekeeper]

@@MisterStuzy I like that way of looking at it

[@andyxox4168]

@@MattieBeekeeper … I know, I’m wondering who the OP thought had died. Perhaps conflating the struggle for universal suffrage with a world war perhaps?

[@brianparker663]

Well done and welcome to UK voting - it is important for the reasons you espoused. What surprised my American friends was how no-one seems to have to travel very far to vote. They saw that virtually every school, church and village hall was a polling place. They even felt there may be some ulterior motive in certain areas of The States to make it difficult for some people to cast their vote!

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Yes, very true! It was very easy for me, just had to walk a short distance. Thanks for watching!

[@alisonshellum9870]

Everywhere Ive lived in the UK its always been a short walk to a polling station. One of them was a visitors centre at a local woodland/park.

[@misterthegeoff9767]

being disabled I still drove but they had set up a temporary blue badge parking space outside the temporary polling station. I live on a council estate so there's a dearth of churches, schools and village halls, my polling station is a portakabin in a residential parking bay.

[@brianparker663]

@@misterthegeoff9767 Oh yes! We had a couple of portacabins in a McDonald's car park. I get to vote in a lovely local church - in fact the very one my parents got married at in 1946! 😀

[@paulkirkland3263]

Congrats on taking part for the first time in a UK general election - I'm sure you made a wise choice. My younger daughter is the mirror image of you; she is British, but lives in the USA and received her US citizenship last year. What a choice she has to make in November! By the way, I voted by post, for my local independent candidate. Happy 4th July too. :)

[@sailingby]

Well done for voting 🗳️👍🏻

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Thanks for watching!

[@anonymes2884]

Wait, there's an election happening ?! I'd have thought it would've been on the news... Ahem. (congrats on participating in your first UK election :). Just back myself. I didn't get a sticker but I _did_ get a pint, although I had to pay for it - my polling station was in the local pub :)

[@cadifan]

I don't understand why countries such as the UK or the US have voting days on working days (Monday - Friday), it makes no sense! Here in New Zealand election day is ALWAYS a Saturday, and you can vote any time within the two weeks leading up to that Saturday (incase you're going to be unavailable on election day or just because you want to). And yes, we can get an "I VOTED!" sticker.

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

That makes so much more sense!!

[@piccalillipit9211]

Bulgaria its always Sunday

[@philipellis7039]

Sunday in France

[@hughtube5154]

Because both the UK and US have, historically, only begrudgingly allowed people to vote, and then at staggered intervals, gatekeeping by income / property holdings / sex / race. Both countries, while valuing democracy, have muddied histories of corruption and malfeasance (rotten / pocket boroughs in the UK, gerrymandering/ voter suppression in the US) and the legacy of that affects how sincerely and painlessly voting is carried out.

[@geoffpriestley7310]

I lived in nz back in the 80s I couldn't vote but I could count the vote because I worked for the local council

[@Ruddigore]

Congrats on voting. The video of someone putting a tick through one of the boxes sent shivers down my spine, it's almost certain that the ballot paper would be separated from the count and could be deemed as a spoilt vote.

[@kgbgb3663]

I came here expecting half the comments to be saying that! The tick only just intersected the box!

[@newhalllane]

Well done Kalyn. I'm not too bothered about getting a sticker myself, but if they offered lollypops like my local barbershop does to kids, I'd be up for elections every Thursday going forwards.

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Oh yes, lollipops would be next level. I will stand on a platform with you of lollypops with elections every Thursday.

[@Colin-to1nv]

​@@GirlGoneLondonofficialHere, here, Kaylan!

[@robertwilloughby8050]

The Australians offer you a sausage sandwich. Yeah, that will get them voting!

[@DeepThought9999]

@@robertwilloughby8050Not for free. Paid for by individual hungry voters, with the resulting money going towards the school or church hosting the polling place

[@johnleonard9090]

@@robertwilloughby8050any excuse to fire up the Barbie?

[@andrewwatson5324]

A couple of observations, a general election can occur on the same day as a local election. Also commonwealth citizens can vote without first becoming British, Canadians for example.

[@robertwatford7425]

I applaud your public spiritedness. I have voted in every election since the Seventies, both General and Council, it is my right and my duty, and people who don't vote only have themselves to blame when it all goes belly-up. Look at Brexit! Democracy is a terrible system, broken down and prone to error. Only trouble is every other system is worse :-(

[@ianz9916]

Why is it that everyone who voted to remain in the EU assumes that all those that didn't vote were of the same mind? Statistics would extrapolate from the very large sample that did vote that there would be a similar breakdown of pro and anti amongst those that didn't vote as those that did. Democracy means accepting the result of the vote, even if it is not the same way that you voted. The Brexit vote was actually more representative than the General Election as it was a true proportional representation vote. It is a strange anachronism that the Reform party, not that I agree with any of their policies, actually got more votes than the Liberal Democrats but the Lib Dems got 71 seats in the house and Reform got 5.

[@Psmith-ek5hq]

Didn't Churchill say something similar to your last sentence?

[@robertwatford7425]

@@Psmith-ek5hq Everyone steals - the trick is to steal from the best. As Picasso nearly said ;-)

[@kev2020-z9s]

You can do a postal vote and ether post it or take it to your local polling station by 10pm on election day.

[@john9508]

Good for you everyone should use their vote, it is just a pity that there is not a "None of the above" box on the ballot paper 😁

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Thanks for watching!

[@nowster]

The only way to do that currently is to spoil your ballot, eg. scribble on it or leave it blank.

[@frankhooper7871]

I did once write 'none of the above' on my ballot paper, knowing it would count as a spoiled ballot - nevertheless, I considered myself to have voted.

[@philipr1567]

@@frankhooper7871 Well done! The only way to distinguish between apathetic people and people who can't stand any of the candidates is to turn up and spoil the ballot paper. You made the effort to turn up and have your protest counted.

[@chrissouthgate4554]

If you write on the Ballot paper the candidates get to read it to confirm it is a spoilt Ballot. This can be an opportunity to inform them of your opinion, should you not consider any of them acceptable.

[@KevinJamesFrench]

I voted, btw you can get a postal vote if you are on holiday or can’t attend the polling station, I’m disabled but always go the polling station, our elections are always on a Thursday

[@john_g_harris]

Yesterday, for the first time ever, the current MP knocked on my door. This was so unexpected I couldn't think of any questions to ask her.

[@gerardflynn7382]

You could have asked her if she was lost.

[@peterjackson4763]

I saw my local MP for the first time just before the recent local election. One of the guys with him came to my door. He must have been worried about losing our ward, which went independent.

[@robinholland1136]

@@peterjackson4763 I still haven't seen mine and she has never replied to the three emails I sent her. She'll still get in, though. I might not have voted for her, but she is still supposed to be my constituency MP. Perhaps there'll be a miracle and she'll find herself confined to the political dustbin. Here's hoping!

[@bobm4378]

@john_g_harris: the problem here is privacy, I am in a very niced town, with well known MPs, si i would not expect the 'oppostion' to desperately go out looking for votes!! BUT hey, its 1030 and you can go see the exit polls!!

[@john_g_harris]

She's now my ex-MP.

[@CRINOTH]

Will you complete the experience by staying up all night to watch the results show(s)? I have done so at every GE since 1992... snacks by my side, of course... :)

[@FalcomScott312]

I've already voted 🗳 here in England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 & hope whoever is in Government can fix the issues that we British people care about the most!

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Good job for voting! Have a great day!

[@TheChodax]

They won't be allowed to. Big business wants open migration to keep labour prices low. The best we can hope for is that they get the illegal migration under control. Longterm things are totally unsustainable but most of the MPs don't actually live in the areas where the worst problems are so they aren't affected.

[@IIChristisKingII]

Labour are going to destroy the country even worse than the tories unfortuantely.

[@lemming9984]

@@TheChodax True. I went to vote, but there was no option for Reform, so didn't vote at all.

[@simonjones2240]

Government fix the problems! The government causes the problems, have you been asleep for a few decades?

[@tazgecko]

We tried electronic voting systems here in Australia, it was found using paper was just as efficient and less problems with breakdowns. Mind you, we have a large amount of volunteers with a good system so it's easy to vote. Also people can vote weeks before, as I do due to work.

[@robert3987]

The people you name as "volunteers" during Australian elections do get paid.

[@tazgecko]

@@robert3987 They do. They also don't have to give up their day. People do it because they have a passion for democracy.

[@arwelp]

The traditional game of “have a drink when a Tory loses his seat” is not recommended tonight, for health reasons! 😂

[@jazzx251]

I have an unopened bottle of Talisker (45.6% single malt) ready for tonight I can't drink any of it until a Tory loses their seat (probably around 2am) - that's the rules

[@Poliss95]

🤣🤣😂😂🤣🤣😂😂🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻

[@dawn5227]

If you do just ensure you have someone able to drive you to A&E to save you from alcohol poisoning.

[@lancepeacock7156]

I'll be raising a glass with you 😊

[@brigidsingleton1596]

Yes indeedy...!! I already have CKD (chronic kidney disease) ...having a busted liver, cirrhosis?) is absolutely _most unwanted_ (as much as the CKD is _also unwanted_ but am stuck with it, and am sadly awaiting news of when dialysis must start.😢) Well Done Kalyn... You did much better than some Brits who fail - sadly -to vote.

[@TheEulerID]

It's worth noting that the UK system for the appointment of the Prime Minister is basically the same as for the US Speaker of the House (which is a very different role to that of the Speaker of the House in the UK House of Commons). Some of the roles of the US Speaker of the House, such as setting the legislative programme, are similar to those of the PM in the UK. However, most of the roles of the US president are carried out by the PM in the UK, or his/her ministers. Those tend to be the executive functions, which as carried out by the UK PM under the Royal Prerogative. In the UK it is common for general election dates to be the same as local election dates so you can be presented with more than one set of ballot papers. Also, resident Irish citizens in the UK can vote in both local and Parliamentary elections as can resident citizens of "qualified" Commonwealth Countries for bizarre historical reasons. EU residents can vote in UK local, but not Parliamentary elections. Whilst non-EU/non-qualifying Commonwealth foreign nationals with residency in the UK can't vote in local elections in England, they can in Scotland and Wales. I would also add that, in the USA, whilst you are voting for a particular ticket (that is a President and VP), technically speaking, you are not directly voting to elect the president. Instead, it's translated to the (in)famous Electoral College system which is essentially a bunch of people at the state level who are delegated to actually elect the president. As far as I'm aware, all states run a system whereby all the electoral college delegated for a given state are pledged to whichever ticket got the most votes in that state. The number of electoral college delegates for any given state is related to, but not entirely proportionate to the population of that state. Le populous states get more delegates per head of population than larger ones. Thus the president is not elected by the proportion of the popular vote, but by the way the electoral college system works. It means that on a few occasions, the loser of the popular vote has become president. That happened in 2016, when Trump was elected despite losing the popular vote by 2%, and in 2000 when George W Bush lost the popular vote by 1.5% but was still elected president. The electoral college system tends to favour the Republicans, and as it would probably take a constitutional change to abolish it, then it's probably there for good. Of course you have to go back to 1950 (I think) for the last time the party of the new Prime Minister got more than 50% of the vote. However, I don't think that there's been a time since universal suffrage when the Prime Minister was not from the party with the largest proportion of votes in a general election (although I might be wrong).

[@HotelPapa100]

On the sensibilty of using IT to collect votes I recommend Tom Scott's videos "Why electronic voting is (still) a bad idea"

[@Tim.Weaver]

Thanks for the recommendation, watching it now👍

[@Pippins666]

Maybe the Post Office Horizon scandal might give a hint...(I write as a retired computer security manager)

[@TheOutdoorsyEducator]

I am British and becoming a US citizen next week, and excited to vote in November. It was very interesting to hear your experiences!!

[@exsubmariner]

I'm surprised they don't give you a medal and a ticker tape farewell when you vote in America. Why do Americans always want rewarding every time they leave the house

[@banzakidimye348]

Cos leaving the house is DANGEROUS in America!

[@jackochainsaw]

All those guns, gators and……. Other Americans.

[@Pippins666]

@@banzakidimye348 Damn! You beat me to the exact same comment!

[@philippabrealey1310]

I did get a sticker for COVID jab! Re voting, I understand that a major difference is the number of people who are allocated to each polling station. This morning in a small town in UK, I was in and out in 5 minutes or less with no queues. We saw on TV (and on KZbin) footage of immense queues in America and people being criticised for giving out water to people waiting for long periods in the heat in case that influenced their vote. 😮

[@katrinabryce]

General elections usually take place on the same day as local elections, which is the 1st Thursday in May. That is just a convention, and obviously it didn't happen this time, or or the previous two times. If it had taken place on 2 May, then I would have got to vote for my local councillor, police commissioner, and MP at the same time. I would have been given three different coloured ballot papers, and there would have been three different coloured ballot boxes to put the completed votes in.

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Interesting! Thanks for watching!

[@nigelbarber3300]

London local elections are always on a different day and if I am right in a different year.

[@michaelorton6947]

@@nigelbarber3300 My understanding is that the elections happen on different days because the terms people are elected for expire at different times. There is no rule that states the local elections MUST happen on a different date, but neither is there a rule which states they must happen on the same date. There can't be such a rule becasue that would limit the PM's choice of when to call a General Election.

[@DeepThought9999]

You vote for police commissioners?In Australia, police commissioners are appointed, not elected, for each police force. One police force for each state so there’s a commissioner for each state and one more for the Australian Federal Police. So politics is kept out of the process as much as possible.

[@katrinabryce]

@@nigelbarber3300 1st Thursday in May of a different year from some of the other council areas. They all run in a 4 year cycle, but every year, some areas have elections.

[@jamesbeeching6138]

Well done for voting...I am literally about to go and vote now,,.Also happy Independence Day!!1🇬🇧🇬🇧🇺🇲🇺🇲🇨🇵🇨🇵

[@Brian-om2hh]

Well done Girl! As a new UK citizen, you are perfectly entitled to vote. Voting isn't compulsory in the UK, but hey, you've got your vote, so why not use it?

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@PeterStone-ch9dw]

@@GirlGoneLondonofficial Hi, here is your sticker 😊😊. Trump and Farage 2024 🇱🇷🇸🇻🇬🇧

[@PeterStone-ch9dw]

Yep I've voted Reform. Our youngsters will benefit from them in the future. They will be listened to unlike Tory and Labour who will not. Women and children also need to be listen to and protected from this trans rubbish. Did you know that a 12 year old lad who put on social media that there were only 2 genders and there is no such thing as non binary. He also wanted Hamas to be obliterated. Nothing wrong with that you would think? However, his school were made aware so they called the police who in turn called the anti terrorism police because they feared this 12 year old would be in danger of being radicalized.

[@glypo]

Well done for voting. There is a good Tom Scott video on why electronic voting simply isn't a great idea, worth checking out.

[@BrendonDugan]

I also got to vote for the first time as an American in the UK today. Woohoo! Congrats!

[@DanBeech-ht7sw]

Surely you got to vote as a British citizen for the first time?

[@BrendonDugan]

@@DanBeech-ht7sw Yes, I worded that badly. I am an American who recently became a British citizen and got to vote in the UK for the first time yesterday.

[@LoyalandTrue.]

The traitors are realising their wrongs and returning. Good day.

[@Psmith-ek5hq]

When did you become a naturalized citizen?

[@BrendonDugan]

@@Psmith-ek5hq in May of last year.

[@derrythorburn7752]

Interesting and informative video as usual Kalyn. I also voted today. One thing to add is that sometimes local elections happen on the same day as the general election so in this case you would be handed two ballot papers. Also in contrast to the USA if a change of government occurs it will happen almost immediately with the new Prime Minister moving into 10 Downing Street the next day!

[@stue2298]

I voted, i do every time. If you don't vote, you can't complain.

[@scottirvine121]

I hear you BUT politicians are so bad and out of touch on the most part that this puts off voters. Lying and opposing policies of the opposition which were the tables reversed they would most likely do the same I’ve no problem with non voters complaining, the real question is why they choose not to vote that needs to be addressed

[@theotherside8258]

But at least you could always say "I didn't vote for the buggers". I thought about not voting this time, its a foregone conclusion in my area but I think Starmer is just a new Tory leader. I could have voted Llib Dem but decided to vote Green instead, - no chance of winning i thought but at least my MP will know the green vote is taking votes from her and she might be more careful how she votes in parliament on green issues

[@itskdog]

​@@scottirvine121 In that case just turn up and spoil your ballot. Spoilt ballots are still counted and it still makes your voice heard. Personally if I were in that position and didn't want to vote tactically (which in the UK is basically the required way with more than 2 parties in FPTP) I'd probably vote for a smaller party that I can align with, like the Greens, to try and encourage the government to take action on that cause to win my vote next time.

[@GarryGri]

@@scottirvine121 Mainly because they see no party as a good option for them as they believe no party will ever make life any better for them. And unfortunately a lot are probably correct in that regard.

[@GarryGri]

@@theotherside8258 I also thought about not voting this time, for the first time in my life... and I'm quite old now.

[@rayne2714]

With the exception of my time in the British Army i have voted in every election i am eligable too. When i was in the Army i had my mum set as my Proxy voter as i was deployed overseas for nearly all of my service.

[@janinshirley]

Well done for voting . People lost their lives in the fight for the right to vote. So many people forget that.

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Thank you and thanks for watching!

[@janinshirley]

@@GirlGoneLondonofficial I was brought up with the maxim 'if you don't vote you haven't the right to complain.' My Father was often a presiding officer at our local polling station. PS I have a postal vote.

[@Crunch2327]

​@@janinshirleyThe Uniparty approves this mindset.

[@janinshirley]

@@Crunch2327 I wish the main party leaders came from a less well heeled background then they might realise why many voters on both sides of the political divide feel disconnected from them . Although I voted today I didn't feel that either party really resonated with me. I've felt that for many years. It started with the Thatcher years

[@bobm4378]

@@janinshirley you are forgetting, the Prime Minister leads parliament.. Your local MP manages LOCAL issues.. My local MP is very 'normal' I see her go to the shops while I am at a local cafe.. :)

[@richmorris2870]

Well done! I always vote too. Me and my partner are going when we've logged off work. Our polling station is in the skittles alley of our local pub, so we'll be having a cheeky pint too as a reward for doing our civic duty 😊🍻🌹 got friends coming round tonight and we're pulling an all nighter to watch the results come in!

[@aliservan7188]

If voting is so sacred in the US, why is there not more outrage at their anti-democratic policies?

[@unamedjoe830]

Because its already so polarising, outrage is a constant and a norm in US politics

[@aliservan7188]

@@unamedjoe830 God, that's depressing... though not surprising, when gerrymandering is legal, the supreme court just crowned Trump King and they're rolling back basic, human rights. Very depressing times

[@knowcoiner533]

@@aliservan7188 You'd find it less depressing if you knew what day it was.

[@mrgaudy1954]

“All talk and no trousers” comes to mind.

[@aliservan7188]

@@knowcoiner533 Surely it's MORE depressing given the war of independence was fought over liberty from a royal tyrant

[@KeplersDream]

I always make a point of voting, like you said a lot of people died to give me that right and it's the easiest yet most powerful thing that we the people can do. It's an interesting coincidence this year that our General Election is on 4 July, while your Presidential Election is on 5 November.

[@chrisives2152]

Our results are quickly storted out as well, the new pm will be know before breakfast tomorrow!

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Love a bit of efficiency!

[@katrinabryce]

If the opinion polls are in any way accurate, we will know who our new PM is by about 3am. In 2010, when it was really close, it took 5 days for it to be confirmed, but that is very much an outlier.

[@davidjackson2580]

Although that isn't always true. It usually is, but hung parliaments complicate things.

[@spacechannelfiver]

@@katrinabryce this time there's even a possibility for a concession at the exit polls.

[@katrinabryce]

@@spacechannelfiver I'm referring to the point where one party has officially won 326 seats, and therefore it is mathematically impossible for any other party to win.

[@Andy_U]

Hiya. I voted. Prefer the pencil and paper method, simply because you can't hack a pencil. Will you be staying rested for the remainder of the day, so that you can stay up all night from when the polling stations close until breakfast, watching the results coming in? I am. I'll be watching the Beeb from 9.55 p.m.. Stay safe. All the best to you.

[@rickconstant6106]

It's always been my view that, if you don't exercise your right to vote, you forfeit your right to complain about the result.

[@unvaxxeddoomerlife6788]

What if all the choices are equally crap?

[@Psmith-ek5hq]

@@unvaxxeddoomerlife6788 Fair point.

[@lclark6854]

My Dad always said that. If they are all awful one must surely be a bit less awful than the rest.

[@johnroach9026]

@@unvaxxeddoomerlife6788 Spoil the ballot. Tells everyone that you find them all crap

[@abigail1st]

Congratulations on your first U.K. vote! I’ve never failed to vote, but this year I can’t vote as I am housebound, and wasn’t able to predict my current predicament in time to get a postal vote. Ah well, as a result I’m also not working, so I can actually watch the TV coverage into the small hours, so that’s a first too. Swings and roundabouts as they say.

[@gillfox9899]

I doubt I will see much of my husband tomorrow. I'll have a good night's sleep and he'll be watching the TV with the dogs all night

[@christopherwaller2798]

You could have got an emergency proxy vote! Maybe next time

[@MabDarogan2]

Perfect sticker response. She took it well.

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

I still want one, let's be clear. ;)

[@MabDarogan2]

@@GirlGoneLondonofficial in Australia you get a sausage or a cake. How does that sound?

[@Colin-to1nv]

​@@MabDarogan2No wonder! It's compulsory there, to vote, that it.

[@foobar476]

@@MabDarogan2 Now that's a petition I can get behind. I would settle for a cup of tea and a biscuit.

[@DeepThought9999]

@@MabDarogan2Not for free, though. The small price gets you a nice quick meal (usually a beef sausage on a slice of folded over white bread with our choice of sauce and/or grilled onions - yum, mouth now watering - and the option of a soft drink or cup of tea) plus the satisfaction of knowing that the purchase price is going to a charitable or some otherwise deserving institution, such as the local school or church which is hosting the polling place for the day. Compulsory voting is very popular in Australia and not just for the “democracy sausage” but also because we realise that if we had voluntary voting it would result in a lower voter turnout, which is more likely to result in an extremist party representative being elected. This is because with voluntary voting the relatively few “more moderately-inclined voters” (the silent majority) who actually do turn up will will be outvoted by the shouty extremists who are almost certain to turn up and vote no matter what. Oh, we also have preferentional voting (i.e. not “first-past-the-post” voting) so we encourage more candidates covering wider viewpoints to participate. One further thing, all our elections are run by the Australian Electoral Commission, a completely non-partisan government body bound by legislation to ensure free and fair elections right across the country. No gerrymanders. No voting fraud. Quick results even though we too use paper ballots. Our elections are always held on a Saturday to ensure maximum participation and quick counting: polls close at 1800 local time at the polling places and the result for the lower house - House of Representatives - the winner of which determines the Government and likely Prime Minister, is usually clear to the pundits and parties (political and social) on the election-count TV broadcasts by about 3 to 4 hours later, although our Senate counts are more complicated and postal and absentee votes also take longer to count.

[@Stephen-Fox]

I voted. Out of curiosity where did your vote take place? My polling station has been a church hall since moving to where I am now, and I know a lot of Americans freak out about that due to how firm separation of church and state is in the US.

[@Dasyurid]

As an expat voter I started using a proxy voter years ago. I can apply for a postal vote but it’s very likely that by the time it reaches me in Australia it wouldn’t make it back in time to count, so proxy is really the only game in town for some UK citizens living abroad. This is quite different for Australians, who not only have compulsory voting but aren’t automatically excused by being out of the country because all the Australian embassies around the world are set up for voting on election day. If you’re in the middle of the Brazilian jungle or something then fair enough, but if an Aussie living in London doesn’t vote the answer’s probably going to be “Shoulda voted, mate, coz you’re gunna get a fine now.”

[@timrollpickering]

Actually if I recall Antony Green correctly being out of the country is considered a valid reason for not voting in an Australian election so you probably don't have officials coming out of Australia House to hunt down non-voters up here. As far as I know the UK is relatively unusual globally in requiring all ballot papers to be returned to the local officials by the close of poll. Australia's got some good arrangements on this such as allowing more time for postal votes to come in so long as they're correctly postmarked (not having universal daily collections & deliveries means the postal vote turnaround takes longer especially in rural areas) and also having provision to cast in person votes outside one's own local polling station. However one drawback is the official final result take some weeks to get and you can't so easily have a declaration ceremony with the candidates lined up on the stage in the middle of the night to hear the result. And in the UK we have an obsession with the circus of Election Night declarations.

[@Dasyurid]

@@timrollpickering True, I know several people who’ve been let off voting when overseas because they were just too far from the local High Commission for it to be practical. If you’re on a massive road trip through central China or something nobody’s going to be issuing fines over not voting. Even for a gap year kid working in Scotland it’s enough of a faff to get to The Strand to vote. But all those years when Earl’s Court seemed to be full of Aussies? I reckon they’d been fined if any couldn’t be bothered to drag themselves half a dozen stops on the Tube, but I also bet that most of them did make the effort and vote.

[@timrollpickering]

@@Dasyurid I think there's international postal votes (though unless they go via the local embassy they may not arrive/return in time) but do consulates like the one in Edinburgh also have polling stations? But I do wonder just how easy it is to actually enforce the fine on a voter living overseas even if they do live close to the Embassy.

[@Dasyurid]

@@timrollpickering I’d expect postal votes to be hit and miss too, even if it’s somewhere with a decent postal service. Expat Brits here are advised that a proxy is best if you want your vote to count - at least I was when I registered as an overseas voter. Not sure what the AEC tells Australians in the UK since there’s no proxy voting in Australia. As for enforcement, a couple of my in laws have been abroad when elections have been called and both are “repeat offenders”. They’ve always been asked why they didn’t vote and just said they were on holiday/working in whatever far flung location they’d gone to and were too far from the HC/Embassy, and it was fine. I get the feeling they’re just looking for pisstakers. I mean the fine’s only 20 bucks so it’s probably not worth spending too much time on.

[@TonyNaggs]

UK also has postal voting, check your polling card or various places: Electoral Commission or your local council website for instructions. You must apply 2 weeks before the election. For the Proxy vote you described application can even be in advance OR up to 5pm on the day of the General Election, if you are unable to vote in person due to health or other emergency. (Phone the Helpline for the council running the voting ASAP.) Compared to the USA we have rules around Polling Stations, such as ratio of polling stations to voters - so we can get queues not nothing like the epic queues to vote sometimes around US elections.

[@alantheinquirer7658]

If you get people suspicious of using pencils to vote with (assuming someone can be bothered to erase them and change the vote), can you imagine this distrust of a computer system? Considering the UK's past success with computer systems. Easiest way of thinking - in local (by-elections), you vote for the personality of the local candidate. In General Elections, you vote for the party policies, not the leaders personality.

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Definitely a lot of kerfuffle in the US with electronic voting systems and general distrust!

[@alantheinquirer7658]

@@GirlGoneLondonofficial I suppose it's down to logistics, considering the difference in population numbers and size of coverage.

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

You don't have to use the pencils provided - you can take and use your own pen.

[@o00nemesis00o]

@@Kevin-mx1vi You can take a pen, but you could make a spoiling smudge when you fold it. To be honest, people who know nothing about how the ballots are counted and wants to avoid his vote being erased, probably deserve the smudge...

[@tobeytransport2802]

I think counting machines are only used in Britain for those elections (such as Scottish local elections and Northern Irish Assembly elections) which have a ranked choice method, thus it would take potentially weeks to keep counting until the preferences have been counted and redistributed for every round.

[@gnomevoyeur]

I live in Australia. We have a nominally compulsory voting system. It means if you don't vote, they send you a $20 fine and it's easy to get out of if you have any kind of excuse. It's mostly a psychological opt out vs opt in thing . I sometimes think it's a bit authoritarian and you shouldn't be forced to vote, but I absolutely can't understand why anyone who can vote chooses not, to.

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Oh that's really interesting!

[@gnomevoyeur]

And what's the deal with weekday voting? We always vote on a Saturday.

[@chrisinnes2128]

​@@gnomevoyeur I don't know why but in the UK we always vote on a Thursday

[@s.rmurray8161]

I think it should be compulsory in the UK, with a caveat that there should be a "none of the above" box if you dont like any standing candidate. If the none vote is over 50.1% the election should be re run, but the candidates on the original voting form are not allowed to stand for the re run.

[@brianparker663]

@@gnomevoyeur Would clash with the football. 😄

[@vickisnemeth7474]

Are there enough polling stations to prevent long line-ups? Was the line-up longer or shorter than what you were used to? How big is the voting booth privacy screen? How far apart are privacy booths? What is the family culture around making a choice?

[@MrRosebeing]

Congratulations. I am looking forward to the result tomorrow. I think if voters got a sticker or a lollipop after casting their vote that would most likely lead to people trying to vote more than once. We British aren't exciting enough to offer incentives for voting in any case.

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Thanks for watching!

[@MrRosebeing]

@@GirlGoneLondonofficial You're welcome. It was an interesting video. I, too, have voted, but I use a postal vote because of mobility problems.

[@FasterLower]

Many years ago in Northern Ireland in certain areas there was a saying "vote early, vote often". Indeed there were a few cases of very high turnout with even the dead voting. Glad those time are behind us. PS This might be apocryphal!

[@chapmanturbo4082]

I used my postal vote a few weeks back. Should there be a change of Government, please check it out tomorrow for the comparative low key change over. Prospective PM goes to Palace to see the King, and by the time that they get back to Downing Street, the old PM has been moved out and the new PM is moved in and will walk out of No.10 to the lecturn to address the country, and that is it. A lot less fuss and a lot cheaper. Keep up the good work!

[@Poliss95]

Turnout for general elections used to be around the 80% mark. Just shows how public confidence in politicians has dropped.

[@robtheplod]

its not been that high since the 1950's.....

[@robmule4647]

Highest turnout for decades was the Brexit referendum

[@Poliss95]

@@robtheplod I was there in the 1950s. 😁 People trusted politicians more. Even Tory politicians. They would be called raging lefties by today's Tories.

[@TheEulerID]

@@Poliss95 "Even Tory politicians. They would be called raging lefties by today's Tories." Not they absolutely would not be. The Tories in the 1950s favoured capital punishment, grammar schools, many were still closet imperialists, they had opposed the setting up of the NHS, favoured criminalising homosexuality, would have been horrified at the current rate of public expenditure, and a host of other attitudes which would not be countenanced today. There is absolutely no sense in which the current Conservative Party is more right wing than the Conservative Party of the 1950s. It wasn't even close.

[@carelgoodheir692]

@@TheEulerID I was around in the '50s too. Yes to all your points but Butskellism was a real thing (Butler, the then Tory ideogist, Gaitskell, the Labour leader). It believed in the NHS, in dismantling the empire, in building council housing and having many major industries state controlled - when Maggie started selling them off MacMillan, the retired PM, called it selling the family silver.

[@richardsykes8443]

So pleased that you voted as a new citizen. I too have never missed voting in a UK election since I turned 18. I also used to work for a local authority organising elections, including general elections. So I couldn’t help noticing your introductory video showed the vote being cast by entering a tick. In fact to guarantee being counted you should use a cross. However, the Returning Officer can decide to accept ticks, which is what usually happens these days. It wasn’t always the case!

[@simonmeadows7961]

I voted at 7am. Was 5th into the polling station this morning. My constituency has always been Conservative but Labour have been campaigning heavily here, including making it one of the 40 or so Conservative seats that Keir Starmer visited during the campaign.

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Interesting! Thanks for watching!

[@jca111]

Same here - been Conservative/Unionist for at least 125 years here (Bromley). Might just change tonight to Labour. It's on a knife edge 33% vs 34% in Labours favour in the polls.

[@tobypoingdestre]

Vote reform

[@carelgoodheir692]

@@tobypoingdestre no

[@ziggarillo]

​@@tobypoingdestreYes, every vote wasted on reform instead of the Conservatives, is a vote for Labour 😂

[@phalanx-it]

Congrats, Kalyn! Happy 4th of July!

[@JLCosslett]

Yay! Welcome to the club! I’ve just voted and have done since I was able. Mainly due to the work of the suffragettes, I won’t let their work and sacrifices be in vain. ❤

[@kgbgb3663]

The Suffragettes were an upper-class terrorist organisation which wanted to deny the vote to working class men _and women._ Some of them went on to join the British Union of Fascists. There was an organisation that had the virtues that the Suffragettes are now sold as having had. They were the _Suffragists._ Completely different people, and now shamefully forgotten.

[@A60stock]

I became a dual national in 2004 when I received my US passport, since when I have used my write in vote for elections in Pennsylvania. In the UK postal votes are counted with ballots from polling stations. In Pennsylvania I understated that write in votes are only counted once polling station votes have been counted. If the total number of write in votes is less than the difference between the two parties polling station votes I am told they are not counted as the write in vote cannot change the results the ballot.

[@revbenf6870]

I feel strongly that it is important to vote for all the reasons you gave. I saw a post on YT recently that pointed out that people in Germany who couldn't be bothered to vote in 1932 didn't get the chance to vote again until 1945 (after the war). I fear for the future of the USA as its clear that if DJT wins in November he is intent on installing himself permanently and a very bent Supreme Court seems to aiding and abetting him...

[@heathermcdougall8023]

Fearmongering lies. He left last time just fine.

[@Poliss95]

@@heathermcdougall8023 Yeah right. Those insurrectionist he sent were invited in. 🤪

[@carelgoodheir692]

@@heathermcdougall8023 No he didn't! It's just that his attempts to cheat failed.

[@revbenf6870]

@@heathermcdougall8023 seriously??? You actually believe that??

[@markieveeYT]

Thank you for voting! Voted this morning and you’re right it is a duty - plus you don’t get much for free these days might as well use it 😂

[@Ubique2927]

I hope you voted Monster raving party .

[@raymondporter2094]

Good video and a very decent explanation how the system works in the UK. We place an "X" in the box opposite the candidate we intend to vote for. And there is a race between the constituencies as to which will be the first to announce the result - Sunderland (South+Houghton??) won this time. It's usually a town/city where the votes don't have to be taken far to the counting station rather than a sprawling rural constituency.

[@robtheplod]

The UK doesn't use electronic voting as it cannot be guaranteed to be free from manipulation.

[@byxf3pdrve]

Can you imagine Fujitsu getting the job of creating the computerised voting system 😄

[@frankmitchell3594]

@@byxf3pdrve My thought exactly!

[@caribstu]

and the US Presidential Election of 2020 demonstrated precisely how easy it is to fix an election.

[@itskdog]

​@@caribstu at least the people trying to fix it got stopped, and the suckers they dragged in with them got arrested and put in prison

[@ballyhigh11]

I don't think it's that so much as our manual way of voting is tried and tested and gives an extremely quick result.. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I also reckon electronic voting would be a lot more expensive too.

[@TheGDJames]

Thought you might've commented on walking to the polling station. In USA the polling station is often a long way away and lots of people are voting in one place, and so there is a queue.

[@JohnnyPeacock1959]

Welcome fellow Brit. I always use a pen to vote because I don't trust the system.

[@nowster]

Postal votes can be handed in at any polling station in that constituency. There a new requirement this year for some additional paperwork to be completed by the person handing them in, and a restriction on the number of postal votes that each person may hand in. This didn't apply last time.

[@bonnie115]

Yes, this video confuses proxy voting and postal voting.

[@droof100]

Don't just "feel" like a UK citizen, you are one in every respect. Welcome and thanks for voting. You're correct, each and every vote has be paid for in blood and through sacrifice.

[@carelgoodheir692]

I got "registered" as a British citizen aged 12 in '55 when my Dutch parents were naturalised. After reading about the Windrush snarl ups I thought I should ask for a copy of the registration document and got told that such records tend to get lost in the system. I've had half a dozen British passports in my life, so my British citizenship will have to rely on that.

[@droof100]

@@carelgoodheir692 That's shocking. Maybe your MP could help out?

[@adebolabloke6962]

Shame the actual Windrush people (well strictly speaking it wasn't the Windrush generation, that was just a term designed to be emotive, it was the post 1960 people most affected) weren't as careful with their paperwork. Would have saved a lot of bother