abstainers from the process

This from the Norwich North by election:

Unusually, the votes will be counted on Friday, rather than tomorrow night, partly because staffing a daytime count is easier. This has not happened at a byelection in recent years.

One of the reasons a daytime count is easier is because it’s easier to get people to do it. I’ve heard quite a bit from within local authorities that it’s increasingly hard to get people to volunteer for the count at night. Vote counters are paid, but not enough to get them to do something they are otherwise not inclined to bother with. The democracy pixies are going on strike. It seems to be increasingly hard to get poll clerks too. This matters more than tomorrow’s result.