Agenda item

Julie Carter, Electoral Services Manager, presented the report and the requirements introduced by the Elections Act 2022 to date.

It was noted that the voting systems for the GLA (first past the post), would have implications on the count. Barnet Electoral Services will need to recruit approx. 350 members of staff to work on each day of the two-day count. In addition, approximately 150 extra poll clerks will also need to be recruited to work at polling stations. The majority of the staff used on elections in Barnet come from the Council workforce.

The requirement for Voter IDs would mean longer processing times for eligible electors alongside additional training requirements for all staff working at polling stations.

More work around communications would be done in relation to Voter IDs leading up to the elections to ensure voters would not be turned away.

Officers suggested working with Members during campaigns to help promote Voter IDs and online applications in the lead up to the parliamentary elections.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has stated that the recently implemented online portal for electors to make their postal and proxy vote applications,  will be fully functional by January 2024.  The submission of paper forms to Barnet’s Elections Team was discouraged as these would make a significant impact upon the resources and capability within the team to make sure that all Postal and Proxy applications can be dealt with by specific election deadlines.

Changes to proxy votes meant that all current Proxy Voters must reapply, otherwise their current proxy arrangements will be cancelled on 31 January 2024. All current proxy voters will be contacted about the new process before January 2024.

The 15-year ruling in relation to overseas electors has been removed which means that any British Citizen now living overseas is eligible to vote at future Parliamentary elections, no matter how long since they last resided in the UK.

The team was commended for the good promotional work around voter registration and voter ID awareness. Officers welcomed suggestions from Members to support their  democratic engagement plans – especially if they have contacts for suitable groups that Barnet’s Electoral Services could engage with in future.

In relation to the increase in Voter IDs and checks, the Chair queried the measures in place to ensure that everyone who turned up to the polling station on election day by 10pm, would be allowed to vote.

It was explained that the existing procedures would continue to apply; A member of the polling station staff would join the end of the voter queue at exactly 10pm to mark the last person in line. This ensures any electors who have arrived by 10pm would still be issued with a ballot paper and be allowed to vote.

RESOLVED that the Committee

1.   Note the implications and new burdens, brought in by the Elections Act, upon the Returning Officer (RO), Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), the core Electoral Services team and the wider council.

2.   Note how the legislation impacts upon Electors, Elected Officials, Election Candidates and Election Agents at future elections.