For the elections on 6 May, Dorset Council is putting in place many of the measures we’ve become used to over recent months.
In the Dorset Council area, elections are taking place for the Police and Crime Commissioner. There will also be several town/parish council by-elections and neighbourhood plan referendums.
Measures to ensure the voting experience is safe include:
- social distancing (inside and outside venues)
- limits on the number of people inside polling stations
- maximum ventilation of polling stations
- hand sanitiser
- regular cleaning
Voters will be required to follow the signage and any instructions at their polling station.
Voters are encouraged to bring their own pens/pencils. However, they will be provided for anyone who does not bring their own.
Face coverings are required inside the polling station (unless exempt). Elections staff will also be wearing face coverings.
If anyone needs support to complete a ballot paper, they can take someone with them to help, for example a carer or support worker. The person helping must either be a close relative or someone eligible to vote in that election and they must not already have helped more than one other person to vote at the same election. Alternatively, the member of staff in charge of the polling station can help.
Jonathan Mair, Corporate Director – Legal & Democratic, Dorset Council said:
“I want to give every reassurance that our polling stations will be safe places for voters to cast their vote on 6 May. All venues will be COVID-safe, with the measures applied that we’ve all become used to in our supermarkets and banks over the past year.
“Our staff have been working hard to achieve this and look forward to meeting local voters on 6 May.”
Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19, or displays symptoms, should self-isolate and not visit a polling station.
Emergency proxy voting will be available for any voters who are self-isolating, or shielding, on the day of the elections. They will be able to appoint someone else to vote on their behalf up to 5pm on polling day.
Where to vote
Polling station details are provided on poll cards posted to registered voters. Anyone registered to vote who does not have their poll card can provide their name and address at their polling station. See polling stations at www.wheredoivote.co.uk
Election counts
For the Dorset Council area, the verification* of the PCC votes and of the town and parish by-elections and neighbourhood plan referendum votes will take place at the Redlands Community Sports Hub, Weymouth. This will start on Thursday 6 May just after 10pm.
*Verification means all ballot papers are counted to ensure the number of papers in each box matches the ballot paper account (the form completed by the presiding officer at either a polling station or at the opening and verification of the postal ballot packs).
The counting of the votes cast for each candidate, for the PCC elections, town and parish by-elections and neighbourhood plan referendums will start at 10.00am on Friday 7 May at Redlands Community Sports Hub.
In line with all elections, access to the verification and count is restricted to elections staff, candidates and agents and their appointed staff.
Once all the votes have been counted, the PCC results will be passed to BCP Council. BCP Council will declare the result of the PCC election.
