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Voters spoil local election ballot papers in Brexit protest

A number of voters shared pictures of their spoiled papers including messages such as ‘Get May out’, ‘Brexit betrayal’ and ‘Traitors’.

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Local elections

A number of voters took to social media to boast about spoiling their ballot papers in the local elections, with many referencing a disillusionment with Brexit.

People shared images of voting slips with messages including “Get May out”, “Brexit betrayal” and “Traitors” written across them.

Another wrote: “I’d rather poo in my hands and clap than vote for this lot.”

Local elections
A spoiled ballot paper with the word Brexit written on it, from the Worcester City Council election (Taken with permission from @Jord 16/PA)

Jordan (@Jord16_) voted in the Worcester City Council elections and said he spoilt his ballot because of issues surrounding Brexit.

He told the Press Association: “The major parties have been lying for three years straight about Brexit and, in a two-party system, neither of them deserve to be voted for at any level.

“I’m actually a member of the Conservatives, so under normal circumstances I would have voted for them. If there was a Brexit Party candidate I would have voted for them.”

The campaign was started by Leave.EU, which tweeted in March, encouraging people to spoil their ballot papers.

They wrote: “The Conservatives depend on our votes. Instead of respecting our decision to leave the EU, they have chosen to stab us in the back.

“Send a message on May 2 by spoiling your ballot, writing in @brexitparty_uk and show CCHQ what happens when you defy the will of the British people.”

Local elections
A spoiled local election ballot paper with the word Brexit written on it (Taken with permission from @BrexitBatallion/PA)

There were also similar protests from Remain supporters, with messages including “Stop Brexit”.

It is not illegal to spoil a ballot paper, but filling it out incorrectly or covering it with graffiti will render it invalid.

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