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Election day: Turned-away Barnet voters urged to return | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Voters turned away from polling stations in Barnet have been urged to return or organise a proxy vote. | |
Barnet Council has apologised after many people were unable to vote because their names were missing from polling lists. | |
The council was unable to say how many voters had been affected but confirmed new registers have been delivered and those denied a vote should come back. | |
London is voting for a new mayor and the London Assembly. | |
Elections 2016: Polling stations open across England | Elections 2016: Polling stations open across England |
Elections 2016: Everything you need to know about the May 5 elections | Elections 2016: Everything you need to know about the May 5 elections |
In a sign of how extensive the problems were, staff at one station said that of the first 30 voters to show up, only three were on the register. The rest were told to come back later. | |
Staff were told a "printing error" was to blame. | |
A Barnet Council spokesperson said: "Anyone who attended a polling station in Barnet this morning, and was turned away and therefore could not vote, and was unable to return due to work reasons, may be able to use an emergency proxy vote." | |
They may be able to nominate the emergency proxy vote if the correct form is completed, counter-signed and emailed to council offices by 17:00 BST. | |
A nominee can then go to the station on their behalf. | |
A council spokeswoman said it was reviewing why the wrong registers were issued. | |
"All the updated electoral registers are now in place and people can vote as normal," she said. | "All the updated electoral registers are now in place and people can vote as normal," she said. |
"If [voters] don't have their polling cards, that's fine." | "If [voters] don't have their polling cards, that's fine." |
Voter David Fraser was among those turned away and said he would struggle to get back to the polling station later in the day. | |
"I'm now not going to be able to vote. I don't have time to go back," he said. | "I'm now not going to be able to vote. I don't have time to go back," he said. |
Another voter, in Golders Green, told the BBC he was turned away from a station in Oakfields Road, Temple Fortune. | Another voter, in Golders Green, told the BBC he was turned away from a station in Oakfields Road, Temple Fortune. |
'Democratic right' | 'Democratic right' |
He said: "I got up early so that I could get to the polling station at 08:00 before work. | |
"But when I got there, they said my name is not on the list and that there was a problem. | "But when I got there, they said my name is not on the list and that there was a problem. |
"I am so disappointed. I like voting as it is the right thing to do and it is a democratic right." | "I am so disappointed. I like voting as it is the right thing to do and it is a democratic right." |
Others took to Twitter to complain. | Others took to Twitter to complain. |
"Frustration turning to real anger," Neil Maiden said. "After 35 minutes, only 5 people have been able to vote. What are the wider implications?" |