UPDATED: Just 5,688 of Rochester’s 70k+ electors took part in the Tory primary and the winner got it by less than 1%
@jameschappers Given that each of the 70k+ electors got a reported THREE mailings 5,588 ballots returned still makes it a flop
— Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) October 23, 2014
The earlier Spectator report proved to an underestimate
The reported turnout of 4000 in the Rochester Tory primary is a disaster for the party given the efforts put into it pic.twitter.com/bPJAMgYGHq
— Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) October 23, 2014
By comparison with low turn-out in Rochester Conservative primary, 16,497 people voted in Totnes Tory primary in 2009 and 12,659 in Gosport
— Michael Crick (@MichaelLCrick) October 23, 2014
I said beforehand that a 15% participation rate would be good given the time pressure. So to fall short of that by such a margin does not bode well for the Blue Team.
It really shows the lack of interest that voters there have in the party and doesn’t bode well for CON prospects in the election proper on November 20th.
I just wonder whether this will be the spur for LAB to take Rochester seriously.