Parties demand probe into by-election claims of ‘unlawful household’ votes | Politics | News | EUROtoday

After polls closed on Thursday night time, an election observer group warned it had witnessed household voting – an unlawful follow the place two voters use one polling sales space and doubtlessly direct one another on voting – in 68% of polling stations noticed.

Democracy Volunteers’ intervention has brought on consternation among the many prime three events and threatens to overshadow the counting of votes.

Speaking to Sky News, Ms Turley said: “It’s really concerning to hear. I hope the appropriate authorities will be looking at that, examining it and taking any reasonable steps.”

She added: “Obviously it is very early stages at the moment to assess the information but of course it’s deeply serious because every vote should be personal, secret. That’s the cornerstone of our democracy. So any evidence to the contrary is very concerning and I am sure the relevant authorities will be looking at this in the days and weeks ahead.”

Reform UK’s Nigel Farage said it raised “questions about the integrity of the democratic process in predominantly Muslim areas” whereas Green Party chief Zack Polanski recommended he would again a probe into the difficulty.

Democracy Volunteers stated it attended 22 of the 45 polling stations within the constituency, spending 30 to 45 minutes in every, and witnessed household voting in 15 of the 22 polling stations noticed.

The group stated they noticed a pattern of 545 people casting their vote and noticed 32 circumstances of household voting in complete, together with 9 circumstances in a single polling station.

Manchester City Council hit again that no points had been reported and stated it was “extraordinarily disappointing” that Democracy Volunteers waited till after the shut of polls to make the claims.

A spokesman for the performing returning officer on the by–election stated: “Polling station staff are trained to look out for any evidence of undue influence on voters.

“No such issues have been reported today.

“If Democracy Volunteers were so concerned about alleged issues they could and should have raised them with us during polling hours so that immediate action could be taken.”

John Ault, director of Democracy Volunteers, stated the group had raised the matter at polling stations.

He advised the Press Association: “It is a normal international standard not to issue a comment until after a voting has finished, another accepted aspect of election observation is that you are encouraged to ask questions of staff…

“We posed questions about family voting in several polling stations and how staff dealt with it when it arose.”