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If everyone on the voting list for a polling station had been to vote and have been marked off on the list the polling clerks have, would the polling station shut early? Or would it remain open until 10PM even though no one else could come in and vote?

SQB
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JackU
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2 Answers2

84

There's a process that's meant to be followed if someone arrives at a polling station to find that someone has already voted in their name or they're recorded as having received a postal vote (a 'tendered vote' can be made, although it isn't counted).

If the polling station closed early then this might be made impossible. For this reason it would not make sense to close early.

Alex Hayward
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  • Are citizens in the UK allowed to watch the local counting? That would be a reason to unseal the ballot boxes at exactly the prescribed time. – o.m. Dec 15 '19 at 16:38
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    @o.m., the count doesn't happen at the polling station. – Peter Taylor Dec 15 '19 at 17:22
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    @o.m Anyone can apply in advance (at least 3 weeks before the election date) to be a "registered observer" at the count. There is no charge except you have to provide a security pass photo (and proof of your ID). In practice, the attendees will be people who have been canvassing for the candidates, not random members of the general public. It's not exactly an enthralling spectator experience! – alephzero Dec 15 '19 at 20:19
  • @alephzero, if unregistered observers were a possibility, they'd have to wait if any shows up. Since they're not, the other reasons must be the explanation. – o.m. Dec 16 '19 at 06:35
  • @o.m. you seem to be misunderstanding what happens at a UK polling station. When the poll closes, the ballot box(es) at each station are sealed and transported to a central venue for votes to be verified and counted. The count, by definition, starts after polling stations have already been closed, so a delay to the count for whatever reason would never be a reason for a polling station to remain open. – Will Dec 16 '19 at 11:58
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    Postal votes can also be returned to the polling station until closing time, so unless all those have been received as well, they'd need to stay open. – Chris H Dec 16 '19 at 12:16
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    @o.m. You asked if "citizens" in the UK could observe the count and I answered that question. But the question is irrelevant to the OP's question, since there is no local counting of votes at polling stations in the UK. There is a single count for all the votes in the constituency. The only "count" at the polling station is a record of the number of ballot papers issued during the voting period, which is checked against the number inside the ballot box as the first stage of the (centralized) counting process. – alephzero Dec 16 '19 at 12:36
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    Absentee voters can also arrive at the polling station until closing time. – user207421 Dec 17 '19 at 00:57
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    @PeterTaylor: ah? where does it happen then? I am genuinely interested as in France it is done at the polling station and everyone who votes is strongly encouraged to come and help with the counting. – WoJ Dec 17 '19 at 09:37
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    @WoJ, the boxes are sealed and taken to counting centres. Judging from what I see on TV, some regions use sports centres. My constituency counts in the town hall. I don't know whether random people can watch the count, or only accredited candidates, their representatives, and media. – Peter Taylor Dec 17 '19 at 10:37
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    @PeterTaylor Thanks! In France it is not even the watching by random people that is encouraged, it is the counting itself. – WoJ Dec 17 '19 at 10:42
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    @PeterTaylor According to alephzero above, any random person can watch (but they have to apply beforehand, not decide it would be a fun thing to do after leaving the pub). – Martin Bonner supports Monica Dec 17 '19 at 16:59
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Polling hours are set out in Schedule I of the Representation of the People Act, 1983, as "between the hours of 7 in the morning and 10 at night". There is nothing in the Act that allows a polling station to close early if all voters have voted.

Joe C
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    This is the best answer because it actually refers to the act which governs polling booth hours – coagmano Dec 16 '19 at 01:37
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    @FredStark While this does refer to the act which governs the polling booth hours, I believe that the other answer does a better job of explaining why it is important for the hours as defined in the act need to be followed, beyond just "it's the law" – Chronocidal Dec 16 '19 at 12:04
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    @Chronocidal UK postal votes may be taken directly to one's local polling station on the day of the election (rather than posting them in advance). Those voting by post will not be on the list of expected voters at the polling station as they are not 'expected'. Would that be an adequate reason why it is important for the hours to be followed? – rolinger Dec 16 '19 at 13:40
  • @rolinger Yes, and that's what the other answer says, which is why Chronocidal holds their view of said other answer. – Lightness Races in Orbit Dec 16 '19 at 14:06
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    Postal votes can be taken to any polling station in the constituency, not just the voter's local one, as they all end up at the same count centre. Also, candidates/agents and the police are allowed to witness the sealing of the ballot box "deposit slot" at the end of poll, and in many cases will turn up shortly before 10pm to do so. – Owain Dec 16 '19 at 17:11
  • The "Why" in the other answer is completely un-sourced. The real reason why is because the law says so. Which law? The "Representation of the People Act, 1983". Why did they make that rule? Ask the people that wrote the law – coagmano Dec 17 '19 at 06:14
  • @JoeC you missed out the part in the act about if anyone is in line waiting to go at 10pm they will be allowed in to vote regardless of the time ..so it's not 7am until 10pm its 7am until 10pm and until the queue outside at 10pm has depleted to zero, which (in theory) could be a long time – Mr Heelis Dec 17 '19 at 16:15
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    @MartinBonnersupportsMonica no, they only have to be in the queue outside – Mr Heelis Dec 17 '19 at 17:04
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    I found the Electoral Commission website too, and the handbook for polling stations staff is quite clear. I have deleted my comment. I think this may have changed in the last decade - there was some fuss about people being turned away a few years ago. I would be grateful if you would withdraw the accusation of "just fabricating". – Martin Bonner supports Monica Dec 17 '19 at 17:14
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    @MartinBonnersupportsMonica Definitely not a fabrication. I remember it too, and have been able to find a news article. According to that the Commission said you need to have your ballot paper issued by 10pm. It could be that the rule has indeed changed (perhaps as a response to this incident). – JBentley Dec 17 '19 at 17:24
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    @MrHeelis See above comments – JBentley Dec 17 '19 at 17:25
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    cite: electoralcommission.org.uk/get-ready The Electoral Commission says: "Polling stations can get busy, however, especially towards the end of the day, and sometimes there can be a queue. "If you arrive at your polling station and are in a queue waiting to vote at 10pm, you will be able to vote." it says absolutely nothing about being inside and since MANY polling stations have no way to queue easily inside – Mr Heelis Dec 17 '19 at 18:21
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    @MartinBonnersupportsMonica on election days I have to prepare a voting station in a village near by and additionally I vote in small village different to it. Both had signs outside near the gate that explicitly stated queuing outside was the 10pm deadline (presumably because the two rural voting locations are small and offer no real privacy once you're in, the corridor is a right angle on both and then the second door is another right angle facing the polling staff, then a right angle to the 3 booths - in short if more than 3 people are waiting they could easily see who was voting what) – Mr Heelis Dec 17 '19 at 18:26