It’s a weekend of counting and verifying thanks to Covid
THE IMPACT of the pandemic is being felt in the way the counting of votes will take place at the usual venue, North Bridge Leisure Centre in Halifax.
In normal times, after voting the count is carried out throughout the morning and early afternoon of the day after polling, but with safety measures having to be put in place because of the Covid crisis, things are happening differently this year.
The verification of all ballot boxes for the borough election, parish council by-elections and the West Yorkshire Mayoral election, will take place on Friday, May 7, in two stages with a number of wards dealt with in the morning and a number in the afternoon.
Then on Saturday, May 8, the count for the borough elections and the parish wards will take place, again in two stages with a number of wards in the morning and a number of wards in the afternoon.
Calderdale’s portion of the votes in the inaugural election for a West Yorkshire Mayor will be then counted on Sunday, May 9, and collated in Leeds.
Counters will be sociallydistanced – they will sit at their own tables with screens separating them from their colleague on either side, while glass screens will separate counters from any candidates or candidates’ agents who are observing.
Staff behind the screen will not be required to wear a face covering – however, if they move from their workstation they will be required to wear a face covering.
Following the election, the council is set to host its annual meeting and Mayor-making ceremony on Wednesday May 19.
Coun Chris Pillai will take over as Mayor of Calderdale from Coun Dot Foster who has carried on doing the job through the COVID-19 pandemic.
ONLINE: For election results this weekend log onto our websit.