Polling

Well, that was interesting.

I have just been to vote. I always feel privileged to be able to vote, and view it as a duty to do so.

There was a BBC/Sky ipsos Mori exit poll outside. I have never been polled on my vote before, neither during a campaign nor in an exit poll. It must mean they believe my constituency - Edinburgh N & Leith - is one to watch. Or else they are polling every seat in Scotland, since they are all likely to be interesting. Though presumably not every polling station, since that would be a hugely intensive activity. I wonder if my ward is seen as being representative of the constituency.

The exit poll was remarkably similar to the real poll: they had a cardboard ballot box and a yellow voting paper with all the candidates on it and boxes to tick. It was somewhat though not totally private.

I couldn't bring myself to tick UKIP even in an imaginary, fictional poll. I wanted to skew the exit poll results, but I just couldn't do it.

My seat is currently Labour, but the latest Ashcroft poll has something like SNP 40%, Labour 30%, and LibDems, Green and Conservative on about 10% each. I voted tactically for Labour; it'll be interesting to see how many other of those LibDems, Greens and Conservatives switch to Labour, just for the day.