Dozens of voters turned away as local election stats revealed for South Gloucestershire
Voter ID laws required people to show up with the right form of ID before they were handed a ballot paper at the local elections earlier this month
Last updated 15th Jun 2024
21\6 people were turned away at the local and parish elections in South Gloucestershire earlier this month.
Stats from the council say the vast majority of those came back with the right ID after new laws came into force for those heading to the ballot box.
5\8 people were denied a ballot paper by the end of polling day, something the local authority say still needs to be worked on.
However, this means 99.9% of people who went to vote brought with them the right form of photo ID, with 43,798 electors submitting their ballots into one of the 149 polling stations across the region.
Overall, turnout was slightly up, too, with 33.57% this time around comparing positively to the 2019 elections, which saw 32% coming out to the polls.
South Gloucestershire Council say they 'worked hard' to promote and explain the rules behind the new voter ID legislation.
South Gloucestershire Council’s Returning Officer, responsible for the running of the elections, John McCormack, said: “I am delighted that the overwhelming majority of those who wanted to take part in these elections were able to do so.
"We want everyone who wants to take part to be able to do so, which is why we worked hard in the months leading up to the elections to make sure people knew about the new rules that we had to implement.
“I want to thank residents for their participation and for the positive way they engaged with our election staff on polling day.
"I also want to thank the staff themselves, who helped manage the biggest change to the way we vote in this country in decades, and who ensured that things ran smoothly, so that people in South Gloucestershire could exercise their democratic right to vote.
“We will not be complacent, however, we don’t want to have to turn away anyone who makes the effort to come out to vote on election day.
"As a council, we will work hard before any elections to make sure that people know about the rules, and that they have the right photo ID, including by providing Voter Authority Certificates, which are available free of charge to anyone eligible to vote.”
Compared to Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire Council fared slightly better with the proportion of people turning up with the correct ID.
Over at BANES Council, nearly 150 people were turned away at polling stations at the first time of asking, and of the 141 who arrived without the right ID - 56 didn't come back with the right documents - meaning 99.8% who were eligible to vote (and turned up) were able to do so.