Chaos at polls: Voters not on register as Ukip left off ballot
COMPLAINTS of people being unable to vote at polling stations, despite them being registered, perpetuated polling day yesterday.
The cause of the chaos seemed to be the new registration system brought in during the last parliament, which ruled every voter needed to identify themselves, and register individually.
If there was a mismatch in information on the identification, and on the registration form, a second round of vetting occur. The names of those who went through this second round did not appear on some printed electoral registers.
One of the most notable examples was in the highly marginal Hornsey and Wood Green constituency.
Martin Smith, chairman of the Reroute advertising agency, and resident in the area for twenty years, told City A.M. he knew he was registered but had initially been turned away at his polling station. This was despite Smith having his polling card on him.
He said that these issues may potentially have effected thousands of voters, and “could call into question any result at all”. After some insistence, and speaking to the council, Smith was eventually able to cast his vote.
Similar events occurred in Hackney. The council said that any would-be voters who were erroneously left off would be issued with a temporary electoral number, and therefore able to vote later in the day.
The council commented: “We know that there has been an issue for some voters who used the national online registration system…we are confident that the vast majority of Hackney residents will be able to vote without any problems.”
In one part of Darlington, Ukip candidate David Hodgson’s name was not printed on ballot papers. He said: “Whilst the error was rectified after a number of people contacted Ukip to complain that my name was not on the ballot paper. There are serious questions to answer at the council.”