Voters in four English areas will be able to cast their ballots in shopping centres and at weekends during the upcoming May local elections, the government has announced. The trial, led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), aims to make voting more convenient by allowing early voting at busy locations.
Under current rules, voters are typically assigned a single polling station open from 7am to 10pm on polling day. On 7 May, people in Cambridge, Tunbridge Wells and North Hertfordshire will be able to vote in person at a 'voting hub' several days ahead, including on the weekend. Milton Keynes will be the only location where voters can cast ballots at a hub on election day.
Minister for Democracy Samantha Dixon said: “The way we vote in person has not adapted to people’s busy lives... Our trials will make polling days more convenient and test out the first real changes for over 100 years, bringing our democracy into the 21st century.”
The move mirrors models in Sweden and Norway, where advance voting at supermarkets and libraries is common. A similar UK pilot between 2000 and 2007 had little effect on turnout, though it improved accessibility. Peter Stanyon, chief executive of the Association of Electoral Administrators, called the pilots “a great start” to offering voters more choice.
After the May elections, the pilots will be evaluated, with evidence published later this year. If successful, the changes could be rolled out nationwide. The trial coincides with the government's Representation of the People Bill, which also proposes extending voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds.
