A Stonehouse resident was refused a vote in the General Election yesterday, Thursday, despite having the necessary photo ID.
Mark Weyman went to the polling station at Stonehouse Community Centre in Laburnum Walk only to be told he had already voted.
“I presented my name, address and passport where my information was crossed referenced. I was asked if I had already voted, to which I replied, ‘no I am here to vote now’,” Mark told Stroud Times.
“It appears that someone has been allowed to vote in my name with myself being denied my legal right to vote at my local polling station. After some discussion it seems a tick had been put against my name.
“My immediate concern is how could this have happened in light of photographic ID being needed to vote. Secondly, and possibly more concerning on a personal level, does this mean someone has stolen my identity. I am wondering if this is a matter for the police.
“I feel completely let down and indeed somewhat violated. How could this have happened?”
Mr Weyman has written to Stroud District Council, Labour MP Dr Simon Opher, and former Conservative MP Siobhan Baillie for an explanation.
Statement from Stroud District Council: “There is a clear process, set out in law, on the use of Tendered Ballot Papers.
“When an elector (the person voting) attends a Polling Station, the staff there are instructed to mark the Electoral Register against that person’s name when they issue a ballot paper. Staff should check that the name provided by the elector matches the photographic ID shown, before issuing a ballot paper.
“If an elector appears on the Register of Electors as having already voted, then the Presiding Officer (PO) can ask the Prescribed Questions to try and ascertain if they have already voted. If they answer these satisfactorily, then they can be issued a Tendered Ballot Paper. This paper must not be placed in the Ballot Box. The Presiding Officer must, instead, place it in the official Tendered Ballot Paper envelope. They must then enter the voter’s elector number and name on the List of Tendered Votes
“If a mark was already recorded against an elector on the register, it would be because either someone has already voted using that name and address or an error had been made by the polling station staff. However, if an elector believes that someone has committed the offence of personation at the Polling Station, then they can report this to the police.”
