May 6th 2021 Elections

[RollingJ]

8 minutes ago, Thirsty Relic said:

Thanks for the clarification.

 

I'm still concerned that most of the political leaflets I get through my door have my name and address on them.  If they are been put through doors by volunteers leafletting an area - why have these details on?   Anyway, I always shred them, but many other people just bin them.  I've seen them occasionally littering the street - either carelessly discarded or fly-aways from bin lorries perhaps.  Leaflets with details like these are able to be used by criminals.  OK, so political parties can have the en-edited register, but why use them on leaflets that aren't even going to be sent via Royal Mail?

Good point - I can't see why they are needed either.

Edited April 22, 2021 by RollingJ
grammar!

[altus]

13 minutes ago, Thirsty Relic said:

Thanks for the clarification.

 

I'm still concerned that most of the political leaflets I get through my door have my name and address on them.  If they are been put through doors by volunteers leafletting an area - why have these details on?   Anyway, I always shred them, but many other people just bin them.  I've seen them occasionally littering the street - either carelessly discarded or fly-aways from bin lorries perhaps.  Leaflets with details like these are able to be used by criminals.  OK, so political parties can have the en-edited register, but why use them on leaflets that aren't even going to be sent via Royal Mail?

Because they think you getting a personally addressed mass produced letter is going to make you think they actually care about you giving you a warm and fuzzy feeling that will make you vote for them. The idea that you might consider it an invasion of privacy and put you off voting for them doesn't enter their heads.

[Stoatwobbler]

In addition to the City Council elections, PCC elections and referendum (has there actually been any sort of campaign for the existing "strong leader" model?) there are 4 Parish Council by elections in Ecclesfield following the disintegration of the group of "independent" councillors elected in 2019.

 

2 of the councillors who resigned are standing in the by-elections they caused and the literature from the 2 warring factions of independents seems focused on flinging mud at each other. One of said factions consists entirely of people involved with (and focused wholly on) Chapeltown market, which is a very unhealthy situation when you stop and think about all the other businesses and voluntary groups in the local area.  We don't need any branch of government, no matter how junior made subservient to the whims of one business. 

[Minimo]

Am I alone in wanting to know a little more about each of the local election candidates? It is not enough to know which party they represent, I want to know something of their suitability for the position. Do they live in their ward, what experience of work etc have they had, what have they done previously for their community?  Try as I might, I can find almost nothing on any of them . How can one make an informed decision with so little information?

[El Cid]

1 hour ago, Minimo said:

Am I alone in wanting to know a little more about each of the local election candidates? It is not enough to know which party they represent, I want to know something of their suitability for the position. Do they live in their ward, what experience of work etc have they had, what have they done previously for their community?  Try as I might, I can find almost nothing on any of them . How can one make an informed decision with so little information?

The candidates have similar values to their parties. You may find a candidate is reasonably honest, but that makes very little difference if their leader is a liar.

[Jeffrey Shaw]

Sadly, Jackie Weaver's not a candidate locally!

Edited April 23, 2021 by Jeffrey Shaw

[Baron99]

Reading about the upcoming local elections & see that the West Yorkshire regional mayor, (whoever that may be?), will absorb the powers of their Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) office, which will be scrapped. 

 

Down here in South Yorkshire of course, we continue to run two separate roles of mayor & PCC. 

 

 

Edited April 25, 2021 by Baron99

[Anna B]

On 23/04/2021 at 10:08, Minimo said:

Am I alone in wanting to know a little more about each of the local election candidates? It is not enough to know which party they represent, I want to know something of their suitability for the position. Do they live in their ward, what experience of work etc have they had, what have they done previously for their community?  Try as I might, I can find almost nothing on any of them . How can one make an informed decision with so little information?

I agree.

I have been banging on about having a proper CV for each candidate for ages but nothing changes. 

I'd also like to see a return to hustings and public debates. We are expected to give our vote to people without knowing  the first thing about them.

[WimCouncillor]

On 06/04/2021 at 20:46, Anna B said:

"I'm hoping the days of voting for candidates based on their party affiliation will soon be over, and we will start voting for candidates on their experience and personal merits. I have long been advocating all candidates should submit a proper CV like a job application so we get a better picture of who we're voting for. At the moment it's just a leaflet of generic party blurb, and in 'safe' seats it's not even that. I'd also like to go back to the traditional hustings and public meetings."

Hi Anna,

 

This is one of the main reasons why we've created a new site for Sheffield, to try and address the lack of information out there about candidates. You can search by postcode, ward or party on https://whoismycouncillor.co.uk

 

Hope this is helpful! Please share with similarly frustrated voters 🙂

 

Eleanor - WimC

On 23/04/2021 at 10:08, Minimo said:

Am I alone in wanting to know a little more about each of the local election candidates? It is not enough to know which party they represent, I want to know something of their suitability for the position. Do they live in their ward, what experience of work etc have they had, what have they done previously for their community?  Try as I might, I can find almost nothing on any of them . How can one make an informed decision with so little information?

Hi Minimo,

 

Not alone! We've created a new site for Sheffield to try and address the lack of information out there about candidates. You can search by postcode, ward or party on https://whoismycouncillor.co.uk

 

Hope this is helpful! Please share with similarly frustrated voters 🙂

 

Eleanor - WimC

[max]

On 22/04/2021 at 19:33, altus said:

Because they think you getting a personally addressed mass produced letter is going to make you think they actually care about you giving you a warm and fuzzy feeling that will make you vote for them. The idea that you might consider it an invasion of privacy and put you off voting for them doesn't enter their heads.

Not always strictly true.

 

We use personally addressed, targeted mail to people who have expressed a preference for a particular party who will be voting for the first time, for instance.