Cast your vote ... then sanitise your hands

Council reveals how it’s made polling stations covid safe

Guidance for voters on how polling stations will be kept safe during the coronavirus pandemic has been issued ahead of the Scottish Parliament election next week.

On Thursday, May 6, residents will travel to community centres and primary schools to cast their ballots as the region elects its MSPs for the next five-year term.

But, amid the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, several infection prevention measures will be implemented at Renfrewshire’s 68 polling places, which will contain a total of 201 polling stations.

Every voter will be greeted by a covid supervisor who will ask visitors to sanitise their hands before they go inside.

Voters are being asked to bring a face covering with them, but one will be provided to those who forget. Anyone who is exempt from wearing a mask will need to explain this to the supervisor.

Once inside, visitors will be required to follow directional signs as a one-way system will be in place at all venues.

Voters will then need to go to the master board to find their address and work out which station they need to use to mark their ballots.

At each station, the polling clerk will ask for the voter’s name and address and remind everyone to stay two metres away from other people in the venue. People do not need to bring their polling card with them in order to vote.

The presiding officer will provide everyone with two ballot papers - one for the constituency vote and the other for the regional list vote - and will be on hand to explain the additional member voting system if anyone needs it.

People will be allowed to bring their own pen with them to vote if they wish, but single-use pencils will be provided otherwise.

Cleaners will be working at every polling place and booth to regularly sanitise surfaces, but voters will also be able to clean booths themselves if they want to, with wipes provided by staff.

After people have folded their ballot and put it in the appropriately marked box, they will be led out of the station by a covid supervisor and will be able to sanitise their hands again as they leave.

The council has put together a video on its YouTube channel summarising all the health and safety measures being taken at www. youtube. com/ watch?v=DrhNIeux1O0

Visitors will be required to follow directional signs as a one-way system will be in place