Local council elections will take place this May
VOTERS ARE SET TO GO TO THE COVID-SECURE POLLS
VOTERS are set to go the polls wearing masks, maintaining a twometre distance and carrying their own pencils after it was confirmed elections in Hull and the East Riding will take place later this year.
Hull City Council ballot boxes were mothballed last year when the authority’s scheduled election in May was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Around a third of the council’s 57 seats were due to have been contested.
The lockdown also forced the postponement of the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) election, which is normally held every four years.
Like his counterparts elsewhere in the country, current commissioner Keith Hunter was allowed to remain in his role for another 12 months.
Now, the Government has announced local council and PCC elections will take place on May 6.
However, there will be some changes to the normal voting process to ensure public safety.
Although voters will, as usual, have a choice between attending polling stations to cast their vote or submitting postal or proxy votes, it is expected vulnerable people with health issues will be encouraged to vote by post.
Some polling stations will be modified to allow for social distancing, while some traditional venues might not be used at all.
It is also likely that people will be asked to bring their own pencils to mark their ballot papers and sanitise their hands before voting.
In addition, candidates and their agents and supporters will be issued with specific guidance on social distancing and other Covid regulations covering their activities both on the campaign trail and at the count.
In particular, rules are expected to be announced soon on doorto-door canvassing and volunteer leafleting.
Cabinet office minister Chloe Smith said: “The Government is working with the Electoral Commission to ensure that we are setting out clearly how social distancing and other rules apply specifically to all aspects of the polls.
“We have the utmost confidence in the ability of the Returning Officers to run these polls in a way that meets the highest standards of both public safety and democratic integrity.
“There will be challenges – for example, finding alternative polling station and count locations when the normal locations are unavailable and additional staff to support public health measures like social distancing.
“The Government has allocated additional funding to support local authorities with Covid-19 pressures and we have said that election costs are a priority for this funding.
“Everyone who feels comfortable going to a supermarket or a post office should also feel confident attending a polling station in May.
“We encourage anybody who is shielding, or who would prefer not to attend a polling station, to apply for a postal or proxy vote ahead of the polls.”
The same council seats in Hull that were due to be contested last year will be up for grabs in May.
Similarly, the already declared main party candidates in the PCC election will shortly resume their campaigns.
There are no scheduled council elections in the East Riding this year.
An Electoral Commission spokesperson said: “Safety measures, such as face coverings, hand sanitiser and social distancing will be in place to make polling stations safe places to vote and to work, and we are sharing information with voters so they understand the voting options available to them.
“We are supporting administrators in their complex and important work to prepare for and deliver the polls, and we will continue to update our guidance for parties, campaigners and electoral administrators as needed in order to reflect the latest public health advice and any legislative changes.”