A Socialist candidate who was left red-faced after getting NO VOTES at last week's local elections is demanding a re-count - after saying he "definitely" voted for himself.
Paul Dennis, who stood for the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) in Rainham North ward in the Medway Council elections in Kent, was left "baffled" at the count when the announcer revealed he had not got any votes at all.
The room burst into laughter when the result was read out on May 7, leaving 45-year-old Mr Dennis "red-faced and fuming".
A total of 8,464 votes were cast in the ward, with two Tories David Carr (2,247 votes) and Martin Potter (1,910 votes) elected, and just 13 voting slips rejected as void.
Speaking this week, Mr Dennis - a train conductor for Southeastern - said the result was 'obviously wrong' as he had voted for himself and that his father and wife had pledged their support too.
He said: "I was gutted to be honest - it was a bit humiliating, especially at work."
He said that since the vote - and confirming that his wife and father had voted for him - he has also been approached by other people, who said they voted for him.
Mr Dennis said: "People have come up to me and said 'I voted for you'."
Chas Berry, a TUSC spokesman said this week: "We think it's impossible for him to get zero votes.
"He lives in the ward, as do several members of his family.
"You think, if that was wrong, what else was wrong?
"The council have some serious questions to answer."
TUSC spokesman Ivor Riddle, writing on his blog this week, said: "The bottom line is that Paul Dennis and anyone who voted for him, has been disenfranchised by the local authority.
"All his votes have been disregarded with utter contempt.
"Which must therefore bring into question the veracity of the whole election in that ward.
"How can we be sure the result is a safe result, if they are not prepared to look fully at the count and re run the count of the papers cast?
"We cannot.
"Therefore we TUSC demand a fair and impartial recount of the ballot papers cast.
"If it still returns a zero vote for Paul then we demand a full investigation."
Local Adrian Spence, who voted Tory, said: "What is the point of the socialists complaining?
"Even if the people counting the votes slipped up, he'd only get between one and three votes, which is hardly worth bothering about.
"It must have been very embarrassing for him at the count - he would have gone as red as a socialist flag."
Council chief executive Neil Davies said this week the result was correct
He said: "I can confirm that having double-checked our records, the paperwork confirms a zero return for TUSC in Rainham North.
"Whilst I accept this is unusual, now that the result has been declared, I am afraid there is nothing else we can do to investigate the matter further as we are bound by the rules of election law."
