By Election in Edinburgh

[upthehill]

With the death over the weekend of Elizabeth Maginnis there will be a by election in Forth Ward, the first by election in Edinburgh under the new voting system. An interesting seat, it's a 4 member ward with 1 from each of the 3 main parties Conservative, Labour & SNP and from the minority parties a Liberal Democrat.

 

To win the by election a candidate will need to get 50% of the vote, plus 1.

 

No party will get this on first preference, so transfers will come in.

 

Who do you vote for 1st, and then transfer to? I vote Conservative first, then transfer to one with the best local connections rather than on party political lines.

[Coco]

With the death over the weekend of Elizabeth Maginnis there will be a by election in Forth Ward, the first by election in Edinburgh under the new voting system. An interesting seat, it's a 4 member ward with 1 from each of the 3 main parties Conservative, Labour & SNP and from the minority parties a Liberal Democrat.

 

To win the by election a candidate will need to get 50% of the vote, plus 1.

 

No party will get this on first preference, so transfers will come in.

 

Who do you vote for 1st, and then transfer to? I vote Conservative first, then transfer to one with the best local connections rather than on party political lines.

 

I hope that someone will stand on a platform of 1) Scrap the Trams 2) Reduce the congestion creation measures 3) Reduce the size of Edinburgh's local Government 4) Reduce the Council Tax.

[Boris]

With the death over the weekend of Elizabeth Maginnis there will be a by election in Forth Ward, the first by election in Edinburgh under the new voting system. An interesting seat, it's a 4 member ward with 1 from each of the 3 main parties Conservative, Labour & SNP and from the minority parties a Liberal Democrat.

 

Aren't the Lib Dems the largest single grouping in the City of Edinburgh Council while the Tories are 4th?

[Toggie88]

Aren't the Lib Dems the largest single grouping in the City of Edinburgh Council while the Tories are 4th?

 

They are indeed.

 

 

In reply to Coco, the only party that comes remotely close to your 4 factors is the SNP.

[Coco]

They are indeed.

 

 

In reply to Coco, the only party that comes remotely close to your 4 factors is the SNP.

 

I don't think that the change in local Government towards party machine politics from independent local worthies has been a positive thing.

 

Would be delighted to see someone stand as an independent on a Stop the Tram line banner.

[coppercrutch]

I don't think that the change in local Government towards party machine politics from independent local worthies has been a positive thing.

 

Would be delighted to see someone stand as an independent on a Stop the Tram line banner.

 

I woudl vote for them. In fact pretty much everyone I know would maybe too.

 

I just hope they do all the infrastructure work prior to the trams - new gas lines etc.. and then cancel it.

 

That would be ideal.

[A Boy Named Crow]

I hope that someone will stand on a platform of 1) Scrap the Trams 2) Reduce the congestion creation measures 3) Reduce the size of Edinburgh's local Government 4) Reduce the Council Tax.

 

The SNP stood for (4) and I think (1) at the last Scottish parliament election. Unfortunately Labour forced through the trams to put a big hole in the SNP budget, they are now opposing the SNPs LIT plans (which would shift the tax burden from poor to rich) - Labour, party of the people???

[upthehill]

Aren't the Lib Dems the largest single grouping in the City of Edinburgh Council while the Tories are 4th?

 

Yes, but if you look at first preference votes they are 4th preference in the City, behind the big 3. They are many peoples 2nd choice, that helped them into their position. Similar to Meadowbank Thistle, who were everybody in edinburgh 2nd team. They still went bust, as we were all at Tynecastle or Easter Road supporting our first choice.

[Boris]

Yes, but if you look at first preference votes they are 4th preference in the City, behind the big 3. They are many peoples 2nd choice, that helped them into their position. Similar to Meadowbank Thistle, who were everybody in edinburgh 2nd team. They still went bust, as we were all at Tynecastle or Easter Road supporting our first choice.

 

I kinda see what you are saying, but if it were a first past the post system the LD's would not be 4th.

 

Still, I admire your attempts to discredit them like the true politico that you are!

[Boris]

Yes, but if you look at first preference votes they are 4th preference in the City, behind the big 3. They are many peoples 2nd choice, that helped them into their position. Similar to Meadowbank Thistle, who were everybody in edinburgh 2nd team. They still went bust, as we were all at Tynecastle or Easter Road supporting our first choice.

 

I've done a wee bit of research on this and here are some findings.

 

In 5 of the 17 wards, the LD's were the biggest party based on first preference votes

 

In 4 of the 17 wards, the Tories were first.

 

Labour were top in 6 and the SNP in one.

 

In two wards the Tories were 5th choice, behind the Greens, as were the SNP. Again based on first preferences.

 

I've still to actually count the number of votes to show an overall picture of Edinburgh, however based on topping the polls in nearly a third of the Edinburgh Wards, it is a bit wayward to claim that the LD's are the fourth preference. If they are the fourth preference I would suggest, on my research so far, that there is a cigarette paper between the parties.