Voting by Zoom for a Constituency AGM!

 

Democracy turned upside down – Updated 18 September

            Last night the voting by Zoom took place for the election of officers for the Beaconsfield Constituency Conservative Association.   (see previous post).   How did it go?

·         The total membership of the Association was not given so no one knew the size of the electorate.   It is believed to be about 1,350.

·         The total number of members registered to vote was not given.   It is believed to have been about 300.

·         The total number participating was shown on the screen as 216.   This is considerably down on the number registered.   Why?   Were there technical problems.   Research should be done on the reasons for this.   In more than one case there was no sound so the instructions from the CCHQ manager were not heard.

·         No time limit was put on the voting.   It was left to the CCHQ Manager to decide when to stop.   There should have been a time limit.   In practice, he stopped when he said everyone had voted.   Astonishing that there were no abstentions!

·         The candidates were not asked to provide their own scrutineers.   This is essential to ensure that the vote is fair.   People appointed as scrutineers by CCHQ are not necessarily wholly independent.

·         There was no vote at all on the election of the Vice Presidents, even en bloc!

·         Transparency and accountability are essential elements of democracy.   It is clear CCHQ still have lessons to be learned!