Ballot paper drawn out to declare winner in Bridgnorth

One of the most bizarre things that happened on election results day was ballot papers being drawn out following a tie.

Colin Taylor, of the Liberal Democrats, won the Bridgnorth & Alveley division by the narrowist of margins from Reform UK’s Karen Webb-James.

“Initially, it was 509 [votes] to me and 508 to the Reform candidate so there was a recount,” said Cllr Taylor, who has been a councillor for the previously named Aveley & Claverley division.

“We then found one [vote] in my pile that should have gone to Reform, which flipped it [the result].

“We did another recount and they found there was one in the Reform box where someone had ticked every box. So that was taken out, so it was back to 508 again.

“Another recount couldn’t separate it. They counted every paper for every candidate, so the returning officer officially announced it as a tie.

“That has to be lots drawn and what they did in this case was take a ballot paper of mine and one of the Reform candidate and put it in a box.

“An electoral official picked it out of the box blind and it happened to be my paper.”

“I’ve heard counts being done on the toss of a coin, or pulling of a straw, but I’ve never heard of them putting a ballot paper back in the box again and pulling one out.”