Polling place reviews 2019

Reviews of polling districts, polling places, and polling stations

Since October 2013, all local authorities have been required to review their polling districts, polling places, and polling stations every five years. The review period starts in October, and must be completed within 16 months of this. Each authority may choose the exact dates and length of their review; however, it must fall within this window. The next compulsory review period is from October 2018 to January 2020.

The review requires us to:

  • Seek to ensure that all the electors in the constituency have such reasonable facilities for voting as are practicable in the circumstances.
  • Seek to ensure that, so far as is reasonable and practicable, the polling places we are responsible for are accessible to all electors, and when considering the designation of a polling place, must have regard to the accessibility needs of disabled persons.

The following is not considered as part of the review:

  • The changing of any district ward boundaries (which can only be done by statute following an electoral review carried out by the Local Government Boundary Commission). This review is concerned only with the administrative subdivision of a ward into polling districts which are then assigned polling places;

or

  • The changing of polling districts in areas which are also aligned with parish boundaries and therefore cannot be amended during this review (these can only be amended during a Community Governance Review).

During each review, full details of the proposals; and information on how to participate will be published within our consultation web pages.

This will be supported by press releases etc. to publicise the event, and to inform and encourage people to take part in the process.

When conducting the review, we use the guidance and resources published by the Electoral Commission.

Explanation of terms

  • A 'polling district' is a geographical subdivision of an electoral area such as a county division or a district ward within which a polling place is designated.
  • A 'polling place' is an area or building in which a polling station is usually located and can be a complete polling district.
  • Polling districts can be created as an electoral requirement but also as a means to provide a more conveniently located polling station for the electorate.

Elections team

The Guildhall
St. Giles Square
Northampton
NN1 1DE

Tel: 0300 330 7000
Email: [email protected]