Bring your own pencil to vote
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THE pencil-on-a-string used to cast your vote on election day has been consigned to history, due to Covid fears.
For next month’s Holyrood poll, voters are being asked to bring their own pen or pencil with them so that they can complete their ballot paper in safety.
However, what officials are describing as ‘single use’ pencils will be freely available in buckets before being placed in the bin or, if preferred, taken home with you as a souvenir.
One official who will be on election duty remarked: “The last thing we want is someone taking their time in the booth, scratching their head with the pencil deciding who to vote for, before leaving it behind for the next voter.” The purchase of millions of pencils is just one of the additional Covid costs which has caused the bill for Polling Day to rocket to £35million – £14million up on 2016. Annemarie O’Donnell, chief executive of Glasgow City Council, will reveal the largest number of winning candidates, before inviting them on stage to make their speech.
In another change from tradition, it has already been decided that the line-up of candidates on the stage to hear the Returning Officer’s declaration will not take place.
Instead, Ms O’Donnell will reveal each winner, before inviting them on stage to make their speech.
Ms O’Donnell, who will receive around £35,000 for her additional election duties, said every step has been taken to ensure personal safety is not compromised throughout the voting and counting period.