Ellin Joseph: road to the elections

OBV alumni and former member of the 2010 Parliamentary Ambassador Scheme Ellin Joseph writes exclusively for OBV about her experience of standing in the recent local elections.

As I’m sure you’re aware, all ambassadors who were on the OBV Parliamentary Ambassador Scheme completed this course with a celebration party at Westminster on Monday 17th January 2011. After the celebration my Mentor on the scheme Stephen McPartland MP discussed with me the possibility of standing in the coming election to be local councillor for the Bedwell area in Stevenage.

In February I joined the campaign team and helped with area leaflet drops, unfortunately my own leaflets were not ready until 7th April and I was given until the 17th April to deliver over 1,000 leaflets, and another 1,000 was delivered by Stephen's team around the same time!

During my campaigning days I experienced many different attitudes and comments made by people living in the Bedwell community. I very soon realised that Stephen had given me a heavily populated 'Labour' area and whilst this did not deter me, it was challenging. I had healthy political conversations with old and young people who had genuine concerns about how the country was being run by the coalition government. And on some of those occasions I was able to influence their viewpoints on certain economic and welfare issues, particularly regarding the Education Bill. Some of the Bedwell community who knew me from when I did voluntary work within the community encouraged me in what I was doing and said that they would vote for me.

On the 6th May, I joined my party at Stevenage Leisure Centre where the election count was being held. When I arrived at 12.30pm they were still setting up the tables, however, a few of my party members were sitting in the theatre area in the hall and came over to greet me. Before long, the hall was full of reds, blues, yellows and greens.

When the count tables were set up and they were ready to start the count of the votes the air became tense and everyone’s eyes was doing the talking, the moment of truth was about to materialise. I decided I would sit with my area official count table team to oversee them counting the ballot papers.

As I sat, I fixed my eyes on the counters and quietly counted with them. I eagerly watched the 'X' on the ballot papers and after a short while I suddenly became quite breathless when I realised that the pile to my left was mine and it was gaining height, on two occasion the counter placed my votes on Labour and I was able to point this out to her - phew! I don't know what I was really expecting in terms of votes for me but I was pleasantly surprised that so many people had come out and voted for me. In the last remaining minutes, the labour votes began to overtake mine and I knew then I was not going to win after all but the journey was exciting and nerve-racking!

• Labour - 913
• Conservative - 412
• Ukip - 101
• Green - 61

I may not have won this time but I am encouraged that a relatively short campaign resulted in over 400 people voting for me in the Bedwell area, what will happen if I campaign a whole year before the next elections?

Watch this space!

Ellin Joseph

Main picture: Ellin Joseph with her mentor Stephen McPartland MP.