h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Slightly complicated system then

Yes, but I'm still in favour of PR. It does make you think about your votes and how to use them a bit more carefully. The mayoral vote wasn't too difficult - you just voted for your first choice, and then you had an option to nominate a second choice if you wanted to.
The assembly elections were done under the "additional list" system. You vote for the candidate of your choice in your constituency as usual, but a proportion of the seats are set aside for members elected via a second poll where you vote for a party rather than an individual. Those seats are shared out among the parties according to the proportion of votes they get in that second, "list" poll.
I voted for two different parties in the Assembly election. I voted for the candidate I thought was best among those who had a chance of winning in my constituency, but then voted for one of the minority parties in the "list" section.
Actually, you're right! PR is a bit complicated, but I like it. I'm thinking of writing a piece for the "Post" in which I'll do my best to explain it all.

The European elections last year were PR weren't they? I voted in them and I 'm happier that it was PR otherwise no-one I voted for would have been elected

I hate election time, all those smarmy politiciens just creep me out.

I look forward to voting them out of office

Now I come to think of it you're right, DD. That was when the Greens got an MEP elected, which was what made me think that giving them my "list" vote today was worthwhile.
I hope it won't stop you serving me another , Menza (HINT) but I must admit that I find elections fascinating. I've always liked them since I was a kid and i'd get a Thursday off school once a year or so when the school was being used as a polling station.
I know what you mean about smarmy politicians, and knows there's plenty of 'em about. But when the results come in you can sometimes enjoy watching the worst of them get the humiliation they so richly deserve. (e.g. Michael Portillo, 1997)

*pours *

As this is a realtively small town, when we have an election here they know if you haven't voted. They then come round you house to offer you a lift to the polling station. I took one up on the offer once and voted for the other guy.

Hey, I'll remember that in the next round of local elections. I'm in Portsmouth studying, but registered to vote in Sheffield. A lift would be handy

Got to go guys I'm falling asleep at the computer

Great party though. See you tomorrow

Great move! Well done!
And I am very happy to think that, unless a 30% opinion poll lead proves to be an illusion, I will soon live in a city whose mayor once provided lead vocals on one of the tracks on a Blur album.

That'll be fun.

*pours a for CW*

Perhaps *that's* what Dobson's missing. Which band shall we enroll him with? Shame these elections aren't 20 years ago - he could have been one of Pan's People

That is a very distubing image.

I feel a bit sorry for Dobbo. He seems a decent bloke as career politicians go, but he's dull and out of his depth in this election. The most pathetic bit was when he tried to make out that he was a rebel just like Ken - because the party PR people had told him to shave his beard off, and he'd refused!

The wonders of local elections... I remember when the old Isle of Wight MP Barry Fields decided to run for leadership of the Torry Party... for about 3 hours. It was very amusing.

I bet it was.

He was just doing it as a publicity campaign... Funny how it happened to be the time when the Isle of Wight County Presses were being printed that he did it, too....

Well he would want as much press with as little effort as possible.

Yes, Barry Fields specialised in "As Little Effort As Possible" - he was a born natural.

Does this guy actually get elected for anything?