Mark Pack

Marked register goes missing in Wolverhampton

By | Thu 2nd September 2010 - 4:28 pm

More problems with the general election administration have come to light in Wolverhampton South West, with the news that one of the marked registers has gone missing. An investigation is already taking place into a mismatch between the number of ballot papers counted and the number issued, with more having been recorded as counted than were officially issued.

The latest news has been reported by the Wolverhampton Express & Star:

A register containing the names and addresses of hundreds of Wolverhampton voters has gone missing…

It contains names and addresses of up to 500 voters along with a mark to say whether or not they received a ballot paper.

Park ward falls in the same Wolverhampton South West constituency, where it appears more than 200 extra people voted than ballot papers were issued.

That discrepancy is still unexplained more than three months since the elections. It emerged today the register was revealed to be missing after Liberal Democrat campaigners asked to inspect it.

Colin Ross, the Lib Dem candidate in Wolverhampton North East, said: “We asked to see it so we could get a picture of which areas had voted.

“I am not suggesting that it is connected with the discrepancy in the number of votes compared to ballot papers, but I am concerned that it is missing and would like it to be found as soon as possible.”

Although marked registers should provide an important safeguard against electoral fraud and the law lays down specific rules for their safekeeping, the 2005 general election saw many marked register problems and during the last Parliament the complete Glentrothes by-election marked register went missing. For more on both of those see my post from 2009.

Read more by or more about or .
This entry was posted in Election law.
Advert

One Comment

Post a Comment

Lib Dem Voice welcomes comments from everyone but we ask you to be polite, to be on topic and to be who you say you are. You can read our comments policy in full here. Please respect it and all readers of the site.

To have your photo next to your comment please signup your email address with Gravatar.

Your email is never published. Required fields are marked *

*
*
Please complete the name of this site, Liberal Democrat ...?

Advert

Recent Comments

  • Roland
    >” Most farming household income is well below the national average, contrary to the image portrayed by wealthy hobbyists like Jeremy Clarkson.” One of ...
  • Roland
    @ Zachary Adam Barker & @ Nonconformistradical Given the over capacity of airports in the country, I see little reason to expand either Heathrow or Gatwi...
  • Roger Billins
    Disappointing results in Three Rivers and Harborough. I think the general message is a worldwide one of anti incumbency...
  • Steve Trevethan
    Might Lib-Dems do better (still) at the polls if they had a clear programme for change in direct everyday language?...
  • Mike Peters
    I don’t think we should dismiss Carbon Capture too quickly. It is clear that there will be public resistance to measures that seek to force people to change t...