Source: Evening News, Norwich, UK
Pub Date: Monday 21 June 2004
Pub LTE: Cannabis issues cuts across party votes
Author: Alun Buffry, Legalise Cannabis Alliance, http://ww.lca-uk.org/
Contact: EveningNewsLetters@archant.co.uk
Comment: Article referred to follows letter
So Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne was perplexed as to why "anyone would
vote for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance and the Conservative Party at the same
time", in last week's local elections in Norwich.
Simple: some Tory voters see the common sense in our policies just as do
some Labour, Lib Dems and Greens, whatever the official party lines may be -
and which is often confusing.
True the LCA did not get nearly enough votes to get elected anywhere, but
the reaction on the doorstep and support on the street during our limited
campaigning opportunities showed that beyond doubt that support for
legalisation is overwhelming in Norwich.
Less than half the Norwich population voted at all, and of those it appeared
at the count some 10 to 15 per cent decided to split their votes amongst
candidates of various parties. Sixty
percent of voters did not even turn out.
No councillor was elected by more than half the electorate.
That must show the level of dissatisfaction with all the major parties
and maybe the system itself.
So maybe those split votes were not as "frankly bizarre" as
Andrew thinks.
Alun Buffry
Legalise Cannabis Alliance
PO Box 198
Norwich
The above letter was in response to:
Source: Evening News, Norwich, UK
Pub Date: Thursday 17 June 2004
Section: Corridors of Power
Author: Alex Gore
Contact: EveningNewsLetters@archant.co.uk
Cited: Legalise Cannabis Alliance, http://www.lca-uk.org
THE
Lib Dem's chosen candidate to fight Charles Clarke in Norwich South, Andrew
Aalders-Dunthorne, hopes the voters will take the general election more
seriously than last week's local election.
AAD just held on to his City council seat by 30 votes, despite
describing himself in campaign leaflets as "Wensum ward councillor"
before the ward had ever been created.
At the count, he criticised the multi-candidate ballot papers as
confusing and noted some "frankly bizarre" voting patterns. "Why would anyone vote for the Legalise
Cannabis Alliance and the Conservative Party at the same time?" said an
aghast AAD.