Swift response from election officials

Some of the fastest reactions to last Tuesday’s snap Westminster poll announcement came from the election team at North Lanarkshire Council – who now have two ballots to run, just 35 days apart.

The count venue at Ravenscraig sports centre was booked within five minutes of Theresa May’s statement in Downing Street – and, by that afternoon, polling places were arranged and the hundreds of staff required for the June 8 poll were already being signing up.

Stephen Penman, who is one of four depute returning officers for both elections, told the Advertiser: “The main difference with the general election is that it’s a much shorter timescale.

“There’s no real issue with booking the vast majority of polling places, such as schools, but we do use other venues belonging to other people, so the team immediately set to work on making sure they were booked and that we have all the polling stations needed to run the election.

“Coincidentally, there were briefings taking place from last Tuesday for all the polling station staff for the local government election so, by the time people arrived for the first one, there were forms on their chairs if they also wanted to work at the general election. It was quite good that we had that captive audience.”

Staff from council contractor Mears will set up the polling station booths and layout from the afternoon preceding both elections, and will collect and deliver ballot boxes to the Ravenscraig count venue when polls close at 10pm on both occasions.

Counting takes place from the following morning after next week’s council election, but starts immediately and takes place overnight for the general election.

Penman added:“An election is a huge logistical piece of work, with all that goes on behind the scenes, such as getting the right ballot papers and registers to each polling station, and making sure all unused papers are accounted for.

“The presiding officers at polling stations have a big responsibility and do really brilliant work. The election team is really experienced, knows what needs to be done and has had a lot of practice, particularly in recent years.

“It’s an exciting challenge and the general election will be delivered in the same way as it would have been, had there been longer notice.”