Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Call for elections to be postponed
The Labour group on North Lanarkshire Council is calling for the Scottish Parliament elections in May to be postponed“on public health grounds”, to safeguard voters and poll staff and ensure that turnout is not adversely impacted.
Members are making their call to delay the planned May 6 ballot as they also consider arrangements for two twice-rescheduled council byelections which are due to take place next month, expressing concern that staging them during lockdown will dissuade voters and create a potential “democratic deficit”.
Deputy council leader Paul Kelly said: “With the highest levels of restrictions set to continue for the foreseeable future, now is not the time to be asking the public and council staff to risk their own health to take part in these elections.”
The council’s SNP group say they “expect this May’s elections to go ahead as scheduled” and noted that special provisions have been made to do so; while North Lanarkshire’s returning officer says there are plans for the two March 4 by-elections including distancing, sanitising and new pencils for each voter.
North Lanarkshire’s Labour group are supporting trade union representatives from Unison who have written to Holyrood local government secretary Aileen Campbell, saying that going ahead as planned in three months’ time “may not be safe, accessible, or fair” and noting that many electoral venues across Scotland “have been repurposed as vaccination centres.”
They have outlined “serious
concerns regarding the conduct of these elections and the safety of Unison members who would be expected to facilitate them” – and the local Labour representatives say this is “a view shared by the council administration, who would usually provide a number of staff ”.
Group members are also concerned about the possibility of being unable to use schools as polling stations while education buildings remain closed to the majority of pupils.
Councillor Kelly told the Advertiser: “The last thing we want to see is elections with rock-bottom turnout levels because of people’s fears and anxieties about risking their health, and further anxiety for our staff who have been on the frontline in dealing with this crisis.
“Many of our elderly and vulnerable have been staying indoors unless for essential reasons for over a year, with some being effectively housebound through shielding rules – many will rightly feel apprehensive about making their first journey outside to a busy public space to cast their vote.
“Schools cannot be used as polling stations for our by-elections in March, which means potentially greater footfall at other locations, despite the government’s own advice recommending that members of the public avoid crowded spaces.
“We would strongly recommend that the Scottish Government intervene to postpone our council by-elections in March and the Scottish Parliament elections in May.”
Unison has outlined “significant public health issues” including the level of Covid transmission rates, and are calling for risk assessments, safety mitigations and additional financial support for councils running elections.
North Lanarkshire is due to stage by-elections on March 4 in the Fortissat ward which includes Salsburgh, and to fill the vacancy created more than a year ago in the Bellshill ward of Thorniewood when newly-elected Coatbridge MP Steven Bonnar resigned his previous post on the local authority.
The official notice of poll was published on Monday and shows that the Conservatives, Greens, Labour, SNP and UKIP will be contesting both seats, along with an independent standing in Thorniewood.
A spokesperson for the council’s SNP group said: “As the First Minister has said, we expect this May’s elections to go ahead as scheduled.
“This is a decision for the Scottish Parliament, and in December MSPS unanimously backed legislation to make sure the election on May 6 can take place fairly and safely during the coronavirus pandemic.”
Noting that the Scottish general election (coronavirus) bill was developed with electoral, parliamentary and cross-party input, the group added that it “contains contingency measures for in-person voting supported by appropriate physical distancing, the potential for the election poll to be held over more than one day and an increase in numbers of people voting by post”.
A spokesperson for North Lanarkshire’s returning officer told the Advertiser: “The view of the Electoral Management Board for Scotland is that by-elections should proceed and we are planning on that basis.
“Extensive risk assessments have been carried out to ensure staff, voters, candidates and campaigners can be as safe as possible.
“Measures in place include a fresh pencil for every voter, a limit to how many voters can be in a polling place and stations being spaced out, screens between staff and voters, mandatory face coverings in polling places, hand sanitiser at every entrance and exit, and additional cleaning throughout the day.
“Plans for the counting of the votes mean restricted numbers of people in the count centre, counts taking place separately rather than simultaneously and strict distancing measures.
“The [Holyrood] election is a matter for the Scottish Parliament to determine. However, the same extensive measures will be in place should the election go ahead as planned.
“In both elections, voters can choose to vote in person or by post. People who are registered to vote can find out more about postal voting by visiting www.electoralcommission. org.uk/voter.”