Summary
Election observers raised concerns about "family voting" at a by-election in Gorton and Denton, where family members may have influenced how someone else voted. Democracy Volunteers, an observer group, noticed high levels of family voting at many polling stations, but the acting returning officer said no issues were reported during polling hours.
Key Facts
- "Family voting" occurs when a family member influences someone else's vote.
- Democracy Volunteers observed high levels of family voting in Gorton and Denton.
- They reported family voting in 68% of the polling stations they checked, affecting 12% of voters observed.
- Four observers from the group covered 22 out of 45 polling stations.
- They found 32 instances of family voting among 545 voters they observed.
- The acting returning officer stated that poll workers did not report any issues during voting hours.
- The Green Party won the by-election, and Labour came third.
- The Ballot Secrecy Act 2023 makes it illegal to influence votes inside polling booths.
