Local elections – including for the mayor of London – ‘should be POSTPONED from May until autumn over coronavirus fears to protect the public and staff at polling stations’
- The Election Commission said May 7 poll should be delayed until autumn
- CEO Bob Posner cited ‘real risks to the successful delivery’ of the vote
- Elections are due to take place for 118 councils in England and eight city mayors
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Local elections due to take place in may could be postponed until the autumn in order to protect voters and staff working at polling stations from coronavirus, it was revealed today.
The Election Commission said it was recommending the poll due to take place in five weeks’ time should be delayed on health grounds, saying it might not be possible to run them if there is widespread sickness.
It came after London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who is up for re-election, aid today it should go ahead as planned.
In a letter to Cabinet Office Minister Chloe Smith, chief executive Bob Posner said there was a ‘real risks to the successful delivery’ of the vote if it went ahead on May 7.
‘The risks to delivery that have been identified are such that we cannot be confident that voters will be able to participate in the polls safely and confidently, nor that campaigners and parties will be able to put their case to the electorate,’ he said.
‘We therefore call on the Government to take steps to provide early clarity to all those with an interest in the electoral process; and on the available information and position we recommend the Government now delay the 7 May polls until the autumn.’
The Election Commission said it was recommending the poll due to take place in five weeks’ time should be delayed on health grounds, saying it might not be possible to run them if there is widespread sickness.
Elections are due to take place for 118 councils in England: 22 unitary authorities, 34 metropolitan boroughs and 62 non-metropolitan districts.
Some councils have elections for all seats while others have a third of their seats up this time.
There will also be eight mayoral elections including in London.
Mr Posner added: ‘We have been in close contact with a range of key stakeholders across the electoral community – including the Association of Electoral Administrators, Solace, the Greater London Returning Officer, the Wales Electoral Coordination Board, and of course your officials – to assess the risks, and to identify and take forward appropriate mitigations to enable the delivery of the elections.
‘While this work is continuing, it has already become clear that the risks are so significant as to raise serious concerns about the polls continuing to their current timetable.
‘Although polling day is not until 7 May, preparations for the elections are already well underway and indeed publication of notice of election – which marks the start of the formal timetable – will take place later this month.
‘This means that a decision now needs to be taken, by Government and as appropriate by Parliament, whether to proceed with the scheduled 7 May polls.’