Voting is under way across Brighton and Hove in the local elections today (Thursday 4 May) although thousands have already voted by post.
For the first time, electors are required to show photographic proof of their identity before they can vote to protect against fraud by impersonation.
About 200,000 people are electing councillors from among 222 candidates for 54 seats on Brighton and Hove City Council. For the full list of candidates, ward by ward, click here.
Contests are taking place in 23 electoral wards – up from 21 after boundary changes – with each ward represented by two or three members.
Voters can cast their ballots at just over 90 polling stations which were due to open at 7am and are due to close at 10pm.
Accepted proof of ID includes passport, driving licence, blue badge, disabled or older person’s bus pass, proof of age PASS card and a voter authority certificate. For the full list click here.
Anyone who has lost their photo ID, may apply for an emergency proxy vote up to 5pm today.
The count is due to take place tomorrow (Friday 4 May) at the Brighton Centre, with the finals results expected by the late afternoon.
For up-to-date coverage of the results and to see who is standing, go to our elections home page here.
The election to Rottingdean Parish Council which was also due to take place today is uncontested. As a result, the six nominated candidates have been elected and will take office from Tuesday (9 May).
Why is a running candidate allowed to be seated right inside the entrance to Brighthelm polling station with party colours pinned on a rosette?
Hi Kim, this is not just allowed, but standard procedure. Each party will have a list of people who have indicated they’ll vote for them, and they want to tick these people off the list. Then in the evening, any supporters who haven’t voted will be contacted to remind them to vote.
There’s more information here:
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdf_file/Tellers-guidance-generic.pdf
Location
1.14 Tellers must remain outside the polling place itself;
They are not allowed in the polling station, this is not allowed
At the last election I voted at Brighthelm.
The polling station itself was at the rear of the ground floor and the party tellers were inside the building but were still outside of the polling station area.
I used to do number taking when I lived in Wandsworth, the station I was at had a small lobby/porch which the presiding officer allowed us to sit in when it rained because there was a further door into the polling station itself.
In this is instance, voters were immediately visually confronted inside with this candidate [wearing party colours] upon ENTRANCE to the ‘polling station.’ It was at that strategic junction you would have to first stop before a right turn, and another right turn before finding the actual tables. Electioneering.