Voters go to the polls in Herefordshire

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Thursday, 4 May 2023 19:23

By Gavin McEwan - Local Democracy Reporter

Independents for Herefordshire candidate John Jones at the Saxon Hall polling station

Voting is still under way today in Herefordshire’s too-tough-to-call county elections, for which voters are being required to show photographic ID for the first time.

Labour’s Neil Barrington, bidding to unseat the Liberal Democrats’ Polly Andrews in the city’s Widemarsh ward, said he was aware of one voter having been turned away for not having photo ID, and said of this: “We should be encouraging people to vote, not putting barriers in their way.”

There had only been “a trickle” of voters at the St Mary’s Church Hall polling station on Grandstand Road, he said.

Coun Elizabeth Foxton said voting had been “steady” at the Rose Gardens retirement complex in Eign Hill ward, which she is seeking to retain for the Independents for Herefordshire.

“A couple of people have been turned away for not having photo ID, one of which they managed to resolve,” she said.

John Jones, standing for Independents for Herefordshire in Saxon Gate, said confusion had instead arisen over which of the ward’s two polling stations voters should use, with those living near Saxon Hall being directed to Putson Baptist Church, and vice versa.

Herefordshire Council has said that polling station staff are to keep a record of the numbers of voters failing to show photo ID, as the Government has asked.

But Kath Hey, standing to retain the College ward for Labour, said she had been told officers were not in fact recording this, adding: “I don’t think that’s right.”

Polling stations remain open until 10pm this evening.