Tired, in actual fact exhausted. Almost no sleep for 24 hours, however it was worth it! There is no better way to enable people to vote in any elections so that they can actively shape the future of their communities, towns, cities and countries, especially when you live abroad.

It might have been a small event, however it was a significant and historic moment for the Polish community in Hertfordshire. For the very first time, a polling station for the Polish presidential elections was opened in Welwyn Garden City on Sunday, 18 May. It really felt like a wonderful “democratic celebration”.

Organising the station was a significant logistical challenge. It required cooperation with consular officials and the assembly of a trained and reliable election team. It is quite incredible, given that many more people expressed their willingness to vote, 108 polling stations have been set up across the UK. Moreover, more than 509,000 Poles living abroad had an opportunity to cast their vote and choose the next President.

In comparison with London or Manchester, Welwyn Garden City is a small town, however it was great to see that voters travelled not only from nearby towns such as Hatfield, Stevenage, St Albans, Barnet, Hitchin, Hoddesdon, Waltham Abbey, Ware, Cheshunt and Harlow, but also from further afield – including Portsmouth and Leyland. Many commented on how grateful they were not to have to travel far, and praised both the organisation and the charm of Welwyn Garden City itself. Their warm feedback confirmed to us that this initiative was truly worthwhile. The members of the commission (13 in total) created a welcoming and supportive environment, filled with a true sense of community.

The Polish community in the region is well integrated into local life, but still strongly connected to its homeland. For many, voting is not only a civic duty, but also an emotional expression of their bond with Poland and a way to take part in shaping its future. That’s why so many – 1,235 people – came to vote at our polling station with 1339, who initially registered.

The Polish voting system may hold some interesting differences. Elections are always held on a Sunday, and typically in two rounds. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the first round, the two leading candidates face off in a second round two weeks later. This is exactly what happened this year – with Rafał Trzaskowski (Civic Platform candidate, 31.36%) and Karol Nawrocki (Law and Justice candidate, 29.54%) advancing to the final vote, which will take place on 1 June. In total, there were 13 candidates.

Voter turnout was record-breaking – 67.31% in Poland and over 90% at our station. 120,000 Polish citizens casted their vote in the UK. All votes are counted by hand – often through the night – to ensure full transparency and trust in the democratic process. The 2nd round of voting will take place on Sunday, 1st June.

Our “civic adventure” has not only provided an opportunity to many people to take an active role in deciding Poland’s future, but also helped locally to build a sense of community and enhanced our collaboration with a local Primary School, which became a polling station.

I am certain that this first, historic polling station will not be the last for Welwyn Garden City! Although we have not slept for 24 hours, we loved every minute of the whole election experience! 

* Michal Siewniak is a Lib Dem activist and councillor for Handside ward, Welwyn Hatfield.