Flawed recommendation and lady loses ‘final vote’

A 98-year-old lady says she has misplaced what could also be her final likelihood to vote after being turned away from a polling station.

Flora Kelsey, from Corstorphine in Edinburgh, was amongst those that didn’t obtain their postal vote packs and didn’t really feel she was capable of make the journey to the emergency centre set as much as sort out the issue.

In the meantime Glasgow Metropolis Council has needed to reassure voters their ballots will nonetheless be counted after incorrect recommendation was noticed at a polling station.

Posters at Notre Dame major faculty advised folks to quantity their chosen candidates so as of desire, utilizing the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system, moderately than marking a single “X” underneath the first-past-the-post system.

Ms Kelsey has participated in each UK election in her lifetime since turning 21.

After her postal vote did not arrive, she visited her native polling station, Corstorphine Library, accompanied by her grandson George.

An emergency unit at Edinburgh Metropolis Chambers was arrange by the council final weekend in response to concern over postal votes not arriving in time – it closed at 17:00.

Nonetheless Ms Kelsey mentioned she was unable to make the journey into town centre.

After phoning the council for recommendation her grandson was advised to use for an emergency proxy vote.

He mentioned: “I crammed the shape in, we introduced it alongside and we’ve simply been advised that doesn’t work.”

BBC Scotland Information understands that as Ms Kelsey was already registered for a postal vote, she couldn’t additionally then have a proxy vote given to her.

Ms Kelsey mentioned that she felt she should vote however added: “I simply really feel my arms are tied, I don’t know what to do now”.

Paul Lawrence, the returning officer for Edinburgh, mentioned the state of affairs was “regrettable”.

He added: “Within the final week we’ve been doing every little thing we are able to to verify as many individuals as doable are capable of train their democratic proper to vote on this normal election.

“Our emergency postal votes facility has been in place since final Friday morning and has supplied alternative packs to a whole lot of residents.”

Glasgow Metropolis Council advised BBC Information {that a} “few” voters within the Glasgow West constituency had seen incorrect recommendation on the Notre Dame major polling station, which was taken down shortly.

It isn’t recognized whether or not anybody adopted the recommendation.

The council mentioned that ballots would nonetheless be counted and that whoever has a “1” subsequent to their identify on the poll paper will obtain the vote.

A involved constituent contacted BBC Scotland after discovering the problem, and mentioned she feared the error may have an effect on a detailed race if votes have been disqualified because of this.

The STV system is used for Scottish Parliament and council elections.

A spokesperson for Glasgow Metropolis Council said: “The error was noticed very quickly after the polling station opened and after the primary few voters entered. It was changed with the proper data.

“Nobody has been disenfranchised as the primary desire might be taken from the poll paper.”

Chris Highcock, secretary to the Electoral Administration Board for Scotland, confirmed the votes can be counted.

He mentioned: “On a paper marked with numbers the clear desire can be for the candidate numbered 1.”

Reporting from Corstorphine by native democracy reporter Donald Turvill.