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General Election voters 'turned away from polling stations' without being able to vote

(3 Posts)
Pittcity Thu 12-Dec-19 15:46:50

I couldn't add DS name this year, he did it himself in June. Two postal votes arrived in November but nothing for DH. His name had been taken off register and DS added. DH left it to the last minute to phone council and was assured he could vote in person, but he was not on polling station list. A phone call meant he did eventually vote.
It was all so much easier when you could add or delete household members on annual form.

Baggs Thu 12-Dec-19 15:37:24

Troubling news here, gagajo.

Is it usual to be asked for photo ID to register to vote? I've never had to and didn't have to for Minibaggs when I added her name when she was seventeen.

GagaJo Thu 12-Dec-19 14:39:02

Voters furious as they are turned away from polling stations

People in Merseyside have today complained that they have been turned away from polling stations without being able to vote.

A number of people have contacted the ECHO - while others have taken to social media to reveal that they have been turned away from polling stations without having cast their vote.

18-year-old Ellis Bennett was shocked when he went to his local polling station in Woolton Village, only to be told that he was not registered to vote.

He says he registered weeks ago.

Ellis said: "I turned up today ready to vote but when I gave my name they said I wasn't on the list.

"They put me on to someone at the council who said I wasn't the first person to complain about this - I definitely registered weeks ago."

Ellis Bennett said he was told he wasn't able to vote today despite registering weeks ago

Ellis said he never received a polling card but presumed this was just a postal error - he never thought it would mean he couldn't vote.

He added: "When I registered they asked me for photo ID and everything and I gave it - I can't see any reason why I wouldn't be registered.

"I am fuming, this election is the biggest issue facing the country and we need young people to get out and vote."

He said on social media he had seen numerous other people complaining about similar incidents.

He added: "It seems to be happening with a lot of young people, it is really worrying."

Someone else who has been unable to vote today is Joanne Mills.

Joanne is from Halewood and went to vote this morning at her local polling station in Hollies Road, but she wasn't able to.

She said: "It was weird, my name was on the list but it had an A next to it and a line crossed through it.

"I have since been told that this is because I am a postal voter - but I did not ask to be.

"When the postal voter paperwork arrived at my house with my polling card I binned it and thought it was a mistake as I have always voted at polling stations.

More general election voters turned away.

"The people at the polling station this morning had no idea why my name (and a number of others) were crossed out, so he asked for my card and said come back after work later and I will look into it for you.

"If this is happening across the country people will be confused and turned away. Why send polling card and postal votes to you if you can’t use the card?"

Another Liverpool voter took to social media to complain of a problem.

The voter, who lives in the Riverside constituency said they had been given a polling card for the wrong constituency and had been crossed off the list of voters.

A spokesperson for Liverpool Council today: "We are not aware of any issues concerning voter registration and if people registered to vote on or before November 26, they should be eligible to vote today.

We will however investigate any instances where people claim this has not happened for them.

We would remind residents that if you have registered to vote but do not have a polling card, they can still vote today."

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/general-election-voters-turned-back-17405834?fbclid=IwAR3tAEbkHmcFGLRuGVzEW98S7ZO1d_23zF5od7PYbF1-pyEM8DK-PntcyUc#ICID=Android_EchoNewsApp_AppShare