Christmas vote could see home garages used as polling stations

HOMEOWNERS in rural areas could be asked to convert their garages and conservatories into temporary polling stations to ensure that a Christmas general election could go ahead.

The Association of Electoral Administrators is worried that a Dec 12 election would be difficult to stage in rural areas where village halls that double as polling stations are already booked for Christmas parties and events.

Laura Lock, the association’s deputy chief executive, said polling stations could be set up in people’s conservatories, garages and even caravan awnings to deal with a shortage of venues.

In rural areas each polling station could see between 300 and 400 people arrive to vote. Typically, the owner of a venue is paid £150 for hosting the polling station. Ms Lock said that any private residence can be used for a polling station “as long as it has got disabled access”.

Ms Lock admitted that there was a concern that if a venue cannot be found the polling station could be moved to a neighbouring village “in exceptional circumstances”. This could mean that some voters – particularly the elderly – could find it difficult to vote unless they can apply for a postal vote.

Ms Lock said: “We have issues getting polling stations generally. There’s less and less public buildings available for people to use, but one of the key challenges that we have in December is that the polling stations already have bookings.”

Around 40,000 stations would be set up across the UK. The last time there were similar issues of halls being booked up was in 2012 when elections for the first police and crime commissioners were held in November.

‘One of the key challenges we have in December is that the polling stations already have bookings’