Knowing who they are?

That said, it does seem to me that there are questions about it which can be asked, even before the results are known. For instance, given the eventual widespread interest generated by the election, it seems surprising, looking back, that the numbers of those who registered to vote were not very much higher.

How can that be explained?  Also, it is my impression listening to the Council results that the number of spoilt votes was worryingly high. Why? Was it in some way a reflection on the design of the ballot paper? Or could it have been that people assumed that all they had to do was to make a mark against the party or candidate of their choice?  I’m not sure that I have ever understood why a cross should be required instead of a tick or, indeed, why both should not be regarded as acceptable?