Electoral Commission urges law change to prevent disenfranchisement

The Electorial Commission is urging the government to accept an amendment to the Electoral Registration and Administration Bill to enable voters waiting in polling stations or queueing outside to cast their vote even after the poll closes.

In the general election of May 2010, about 1,200 voters in 16 constituencies were denied the ability to cast their vote as queues built up at the polling stations.

A change in the law seems likely as it is also supported by the Lords Constitution Committee which has just published a report on the bill saying that an amendment is necessary in order to issue these voters with a ballot paper so they can cast their vote.

The Bill has already gone through the House of Commons but an amendment can be made in the Lords where it is still in committee stage. The next session takes place on 29 October.

Jenny Watson, Chair of the Electoral Commission said: ‘“In 2010 some voters waiting in queues at polling stations were unable to cast their vote. Good planning can go some way to prevent this from happening again, but it is not enough on its own. Even the best laid plans can go awry.   This simple amendment to the law provides the solution to that problem.”

The Scottish Government changed legislation for the May 2012 Scottish local government elections to implement this recommendation from the Electoral Commission. For the first time at any UK election, three people who arrived at their polling stations before the close of poll on 3 May but who had not been issued with a ballot paper by 10pm were able to vote because of this change.

Jenny Watson added: “There is no good reason for not doing this. It’s a simple change that will provide an important safeguard for all electors, without adding to the administrative burden of those running elections.”

Since the problem in May 2010, the Electoral Commission has conducted research - particularly in the form of interviews with returning officers in the areas affected - to work out why the queues occurred and how to solve the problem. Constituencies affected included Birmingham Ladywood, Sheffield Hallam and Manchester Withington.

Neasa MacErlean