What happened on a visit to polling station 3 (Holy Cross Primary School) in polling district AC in Bidston and St James ward?

                              

Today (2nd May 2019) is polling day in twenty-two elections across Wirral of a councillor to Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.

On polling day polling stations are open between 7 am and 10 pm so people can vote in person. This is a brief report on polling station number 3 for polling district AC in the Bidston and St James ward visited this morning. It is at Holy Cross Primary School in Gautby Road, Bidston, Wirral and is the polling station for the largest polling district in this ward which is for 2,335 electors.

Polling station signs (written in large print which is useful for people like myself who wear glasses) were prominently displayed.

There was level access from the pavement to the entrance. Inside access to the room used for voting was by either by steps or a ramp.

The problems identified in previous years (such as a voter being denied ballot papers or a party political banner for a political party on the outside walls of the polling station) did not happen on our visit today.

Staff were polite and well trained in what they had to do.

Four polling booths were provided, each with a pencil for voting. Voters could vote at each polling booth without their preference being seen by others in the polling station.

There were no problems identified on this visit that I know of that would impact electoral integrity.

At our editorial meeting to discuss this article, campaigning about the elections using a megaphone outside from a moving vehicle advising residents this was polling day could be heard. When we inspect election expenses return, we will check that the cost of megaphone hire was declared by one of the campaigns in either Bidston and St James ward or adjoining Claughton ward as this will count towards campaign expenditure limits.

Further photos of this polling station are below and the Notice of Poll – All Wards – 2019 – Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council which contains details of all polling stations for all 22 wards and details of candidates has been used as a source of information for this piece. A website that will advise of where your local polling station is and routes to it can be found by following that link.

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