11 November 2010
The election watchdog has said it is ‘disappointed’ that the government has failed to introduce legislation that would avoid a repeat of this year’s polling station chaos.
The Electoral Commission said the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, which has passed through the Commons and is now before the House of Lords, should be amended to allow anyone already at a polling station to be able to vote, even if the polls have closed.
At the May general election many voters at polling stations across the country were unable to vote because they had not been issued with their ballot papers by the time the polls closed at 10pm.
The Electoral Commission subsequently called for a change to electoral law to avoid a recurrence of this problem.
But in a statement issued today, Electoral Commission chair Jenny Watson said: ‘We are disappointed that the UK government has not taken the opportunity of this Bill to implement our May 2010 recommendation to change the law so that returning officers can issue ballot papers to anyone who is at a polling station, but has not yet voted, when polling closes at 10pm.’
The Bill will enable a referendum on the Alternative Vote system, to take place on May 5. There will also be elections in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and some parts of England on the same day.
Watson said it would be a ‘major challenge’ to ensure these various elections ran smoothly.
‘It’s important local authorities have the right resources and staff in place to do this,’ she said.
‘Some members of the steering groups we’ve set up have highlighted the risks that could arise from the pressure local authorities are under between now and May 5. We and the regional counting officers for the referendum will be monitoring the position closely and will make clear if at any point we think this will significantly affect the delivery of the polls.’
The Electoral Commission plans a campaign to inform voters on how to take part in the next year’s referendum. This will include a booklet to be sent to all 28 million households in the UK.
