Am I allowed to photograph my vote?

gazedd

gazedd

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Name
Gary Eddleston
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Yes
As the title really...

I am currently in the middle of a 365 and as a first time voter i would like to photograph this event of my life (year)...

So I can obviously photograph the mobile building they have placed outside my house, but can I photograph my actually inside the mobile building?
(obviously asking permission from when i go in and no other people in there)

I just don't want to stroll in and expect to do something then get in to some rather crappy situation.
 
Wow, that answers my exact question! Thanks

For info for anyone else: (taken from BBC site link above)

IT'S MY FIRST TIME VOTING. CAN I TAKE A PHOTO?
No. British democracy works on the basis of a secret ballot. For that reason the media are banned from filming, taking photographs or reporting from inside the polling station. The same applies to individuals. Don't be tempted to take a picture - you'll be asked to delete it and told not to do it again.
 
Could always just ask them to take a shot of you putting your vote in the ballot box. Though you'd want to be sure they focused properly, and maybe a flash would ensure a blur-free image if they don't hold the camera very still.

You see plenty of images of politicians and the like voting, so it should be fine.
 
gazedd said:
Wow, that answers my exact question! Thanks

For info for anyone else: (taken from BBC site link above)

IT'S MY FIRST TIME VOTING. CAN I TAKE A PHOTO?
No. British democracy works on the basis of a secret ballot. For that reason the media are banned from filming, taking photographs or reporting from inside the polling station. The same applies to individuals. Don't be tempted to take a picture - you'll be asked to delete it and told not to do it again.
Click to expand...

That saved me going back in to copy and paste.

It might be worth asking though.
 
Although in the BBC articale above, this image is displayed:
_47781100_voting_226getty.jpg


This is the shot I want.....



I'm probably best going to ask them aren't I with my camera in a backpack.
 
What's the worst that could happen?

1, You are arrested as a terrorist. You get rendered to an unpronounceable eastern state where you are emasculated with red hot gelding irons.

2, Gordon Brown gets back into number 10.

3, Your friend gets some shots of situation 1, and makes thousands out of your misery.

4, You get some rather boring shots of two elderly helpers handing out ballot papers, and ticking off names.

It's a lose lose situation, don't go there.
 
gazedd said:
Although in the BBC articale above, this image is displayed:
_47781100_voting_226getty.jpg


This is the shot I want.....



I'm probably best going to ask them aren't I with my camera in a backpack.
Click to expand...

Agreed. It won't hurt to ask and it's a good idea for your 365.

Plus, as an after thought, what's to stop you from taking a photo of your postal vote if you had one?
 
gazedd said:
Although in the BBC articale above, this image is displayed:
_47781100_voting_226getty.jpg


This is the shot I want.....



I'm probably best going to ask them aren't I with my camera in a backpack.
Click to expand...

I walked in this morning carrying three cameras - one in my pocket, one over my shoulder and one on my phone - and nobody seemed to think I was bringing down democracy. I did only take photos from public ground of the polling station though.
 
That shot abovem may have been a mock-up ;)
 
Blue Eagle said:
You see plenty of images of politicians and the like voting, so it should be fine.
Click to expand...

Might be down to the fact there is one rule for them, and another for the proles.

Ooh did I just say that:)
 
How comes they is allowed to film party leaders popping their vote into the box then? One rulz for us and one for thems again :naughty:


Seriously though, whilst I expect you are not allowed to photograph the actual ballot paper in all its glory, there can no harm in asking if a pic like the one above is possible, albeit that it might be, as Marcel says. a mock up. As someone has already said, chips are thoroughly pished on with the rules as they stand due to the postal voting system.
 
Ok so I just voted, and I asked if I could take a photograph and they politly advised you cannot take photos in the polling station.

Oh well
 
could you not have your mobile phone and secretly taken a pic in the booth with the curtain drawn? Though they might have heard the shutter noise :D

Someone really needs to invent a camera where you dont hear the shutter on a mobile camera or dslr.
 
Someone really needs to invent a camera where you dont hear the shutter on a mobile camera
Click to expand...

They have. Apple iphone does it silently, if sound switched off........... I am sure many others do as well.

Not condoning breaking any rules, but from the dizzy old dears down our polling booth this morning, I am sure none would have notcied me putting my big X next to my chosen bod................

Though I am not sure if I would post a pic of my ballot poster on here with the big X next to the BNP girlie.

Joke!
 
onikami said:
Someone really needs to invent a camera where you dont hear the shutter on a mobile camera or dslr.
Click to expand...

99% of camera phones will let you turn the noise off. I believe turning it off is illegal in certain countries for example Japan.
 
Lynton said:
They have. Apple iphone does it silently, if sound switched off........... I am sure many others do as well.

Not condoning breaking any rules, but from the dizzy old dears down our polling booth this morning, I am sure none would have notcied me putting my big X next to my chosen bod................

Though I am not sure if I would post a pic of my ballot poster on here with the big X next to the BNP girlie.

Joke!
Click to expand...

They allow GIRLS in the BNP ?

Whatever next... :wacky:
 
OSB said:
Really, I'd like to see some real evidence!
Click to expand...

Every ballot paper has a unique reference that is recorded against your name. It's to stop the people in the ballot office from marking ballot papers themselves and falsifying the results.

Not sure any of it is actually recorded, but it's spooky how I have only been mailshotted (new word) by the party I voted for last time !
 
In the polling station I went in there was no curtain and so a mobile phone would have been on full view.

Again, not to worry though. I voted and I guess that's the main thing
 
They allow GIRLS in the BNP ?

Whatever next...
Click to expand...

Unless it is a guy called Michelle??????? Mind yuo used to work with a male "Claire" bet he had a hard time at school as a kid!
 
amnesia said:
Every ballot paper has a unique reference that is recorded against your name. It's to stop the people in the ballot office from marking ballot papers themselves and falsifying the results.

Not sure any of it is actually recorded, but it's spooky how I have only been mailshotted (new word) by the party I voted for last time !
Click to expand...

My ballot paper was recorded against my voting registration number this morning.
 
gingerjon said:
Oh and every ballot paper is traceable so the secret ballot thing is something of a myth.
Click to expand...

The "secret ballot" thing is more to do wih the information being in the public domain. If you take a photo and post it on the web, then it would be in the public domain.

That said, even if you did post a photo of your ballot paper with the "X" showing, don't really think anyone would be able to link it to the voter unless you were to hold it up to your face. :D
 
Haha - you're really not allowed to take photos? I walked straight in there with my camera, started snapping pictures of the queues and my voting paper, and no one batted an eyelid.

Oops!
 
I just joined this forum as I was looking to have this question answered.

I just got some grief at my nearest polling station for taking photos but it seemed that they weren't sure whether it was allowed or not. They said they wished that I had asked them permission(!) but I said that I was only taking a photo of my mother's legs and it wasn't their concern. I was probably in the wrong but it seems like there hasn't been any specific briefing given regarding this issue.

Also, I cannot see the quote regarding the photo on this page anymore.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8661984.stm
 
Robstothard said:
I just joined this forum as I was looking to have this question answered.

I just got some grief at my nearest polling station for taking photos but it seemed that they weren't sure whether it was allowed or not. They said they wished that I had asked them permission(!) but I said that I was only taking a photo of my mother's legs and it wasn't their concern. I was probably in the wrong but it seems like there hasn't been any specific briefing given regarding this issue.

Also, I cannot see the quote regarding the photo on this page anymore.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8661984.stm
Click to expand...

Strange, it was *definitely* there when linked this morning..
 
Robstothard said:
I just joined this forum as I was looking to have this question answered.

I just got some grief at my nearest polling station for taking photos but it seemed that they weren't sure whether it was allowed or not. They said they wished that I had asked them permission(!) but I said that I was only taking a photo of my mother's legs and it wasn't their concern. I was probably in the wrong but it seems like there hasn't been any specific briefing given regarding this issue.

Also, I cannot see the quote regarding the photo on this page anymore.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8661984.stm
Click to expand...

Strange that it's not there any more, it's actually quoted on page 1 of this thread. The article has been cut down considerably since this morning.
 
Robstothard said:
I just joined this forum as I was looking to have this question answered.

I just got some grief at my nearest polling station for taking photos but it seemed that they weren't sure whether it was allowed or not. They said they wished that I had asked them permission(!) but I said that I was only taking a photo of my mother's legs and it wasn't their concern. I was probably in the wrong but it seems like there hasn't been any specific briefing given regarding this issue.

Also, I cannot see the quote regarding the photo on this page anymore.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8661984.stm
Click to expand...

My local polling station asked me not to within the actual mobile building... :bonk:

Once again, another photography "what the **** can I take a picture of then" ruling...
 
gazedd said:
My local polling station asked me not to within the actual mobile building... :bonk:

Once again, another photography "what the **** can I take a picture of then" ruling...
Click to expand...

Perhaps :shrug: but a rule I actually agree with :cool:
 
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