Scottish Independence Referendum - 18 September 2014

[Tender Branson]

Yeah, it's ridiculous that there are still countries that don't hold elections on Sundays. This is so obviously preferable in every way.

Unless you live in the Western Isles and want to observe the Sabbath.

The religious zeals can vote absentee.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Rural polling districts can be very small and if we're talking way out in the sticks there's a tendency to vote early, so it isn't implausible. Remember that this isn't an election.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

SNP has promised increased control over local affairs to Scotland's island communities, but they have been rather vague about it, so maybe its also a bargaining chip.

It also goes against their centralising nature. But we'll speculate more (if necessary) tomorrow.

[Tender Branson]

Twitter rumours that some polling stations are closing early due to 100% turnout. Yikes.

What about dead people? Are they immediately cleared from the rolls, or are the precincts in question small enough that no voter has died recently?

The precincts are relatively small, yeah: there's an average of 800 voters per polling station.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I wouldn't really rule out a Yes-win.

People often lie to pollsters when it comes to stuff like this and there's a good chunk of undecideds which could swing it to Yes.

Given the general tone and tenor of the campaign, my strong suspicion would be that if people are lying to the pollsters then it's much more likely to be in the other direction. Saying that, I would agree that nothing can be safely ruled out: the polling companies have never handled an electoral event like this before and could easily have got things very wrong (and if a poll is wrong then there's no telling how so or in what way).

[bore]

100% turnout

100% turnout

A very foreign concept to Americans, no doubt.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixville_Notch,_New_Hampshire

[njwes]

Twitter rumours that some polling stations are closing early due to 100% turnout. Yikes.

Nope:

"Despite some rumours on Twitter, Severin Carrell has confirmed with Falkirk council that it is “simply not true” polling stations closed early because 100% of their local voters turned up.

All polling stations will be open until 10pm BST. You’ve still got plenty of time if you haven’t yet voted."

[afleitch]

Voted. Had to wait in a line. Never had to do that in the past twelve years.

[Oakvale]

Twitter rumours that some polling stations are closing early due to 100% turnout. Yikes.

Nope:

"Despite some rumours on Twitter, Severin Carrell has confirmed with Falkirk council that it is “simply not true” polling stations closed early because 100% of their local voters turned up.

All polling stations will be open until 10pm BST. You’ve still got plenty of time if you haven’t yet voted."

Yes indeed, which is why I posted a few minutes later to that effect.

[Fritz]

Voted. Had to wait in a line. Never had to do that in the past twelve years.

And how did you vote- I'm guessing yes?

[politicus]

Voted. Had to wait in a line. Never had to do that in the past twelve years.

And how did you vote- I'm guessing yes?

[angus]

100% turnout

100% turnout

A very foreign concept to Americans, no doubt.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixville_Notch,_New_Hampshire

haha.  Even as I posted it I knew someone would bring up Dixville Notch, a place, by the way, that would very likely seem like a foreign concept to most Americans. 

[Oakvale]

Voted. Had to wait in a line. Never had to do that in the past twelve years.

And how did you vote- I'm guessing yes?

As I recall afleitch was planning to vote No after being swayed by BRTD's arguments.

[Frodo]

Now that about 55% of Scotland has voted to remain part of the UK, what impact will this result have on next year's Scottish parliamentary elections?  Will the SNP be adversely impacted by it, or is it likely to have no significant effect? 

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Now that about 55% of Scotland has voted to remain part of the UK, what impact will this result have on next year's Scottish parliamentary elections?  Will the SNP be adversely impacted by it, or is it likely to have no significant effect?  

I could see the SNP using the argument that the relatively strong showing got promises of new devolutions and powers. I wonder if there's any chance they'd get enough powers that the UK could be considered a federal state instead of a unitary state. LOL that a unitary state has 4 "countries".

[Filuwaúrdjan]

That's an impressive display of ignorance jfern.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

As for electoral implications... 1) fyck knows at this point, 2) least important thing currently

[ChrisDR68]

I woke up at 4am to go to work and watched the results for 25 minutes.

A number of declarations came through while I was watching. The total aggregate vote started at around 49.7 to 50.3 and ended at 45.4 to 55.6 by the time I'd switched off so the direction of travel was clear there and then.

An exciting 25 minute's viewing overall

[justfollowingtheelections]

Why did Dundee vote so differently than the rest of the country? Any explanations from someone who knows the city well?

[Fuzzybigfoot]

Final map:

[Iosif]

Where exactly do the SNP go from here?

The biggest loser in all this though is Ed Milliband. Devolution and federalism is a general election issue now.

[Antonio the Sixth]

The biggest loser in all this though is Ed Milliband.

Really, dude? This is probably the exact same thing people would say if Yes had won (and the rationale in that case would make only marginally more sense).

[politicus]

The biggest loser in all this though is Ed Miliband.

Really, dude? This is probably the exact same thing people would say if Yes had won (and the rationale in that case would make only marginally more sense).

The Scottish Yes is actually genuinely good news for Ed Miliband.

[Tender Branson]

Another interesting fact:

Even if there were 100% turnout (all 4.2 Mio. people voting), the "Yes"-side would have needed 80% among those who didn't vote Thursday just to break even and make it a 50-50 race ...

[Antonio the Sixth]

Another interesting fact:

Even if there were 100% turnout (all 4.2 Mio. people voting), the "Yes"-side would have needed 80% among those who didn't vote Thursday just to break even and make it a 50-50 race ...

Or in other words, that it would have taken a 93.5% turnout with all additional voters supporting Yes to make it a 50-50 race.