Acting Returning Officer Comments 2023

This document sets out the (Acting) Returning Officer’s (ARO) submission to the above review.

The Representation of the People Act 1983 and the Electoral Administration Ace 2013 require each local authority to undertake periodic compulsory reviews of polling districts and polling places for UK Parliamentary elections. In accordance with these Acts, the next review must be completed between 1 October 2023 and 21 January 2025.

The last compulsory review took place in 2019. There was a non-statutory review of polling districts and polling places in 2022 prior to the introduction of new local government wards in 2023.

Prior to this review, an audit of the existing polling district and polling places was conducted. The audit examined the suitability of the polling places relating to their facilities and access for all voters including disabled voters.

As part of this review, the (Acting) Returning Officer must submit comments on existing arrangements and proposals for the future. This report constitutes the (Acting) Returning Officer’s (ARO) submission to the review. Robin Taylor is the ARO for the Godalming & Ash and Farnham & Bordon parliamentary constituency. Karen Brimacombe is the ARO for the Dorking & Horley parliamentary constituency (Ewhurst only) comments to follow.

Polling Districts

Polling districts are geographical areas created by sub-dividing the electoral area into smaller parts for voting. They are given a reference (e.g. HIA) and a name (e.g. Hindhead). As polling districts are usually based on the parish in which they are situated, the name is often linked to the parish name. Where a parish is divided into wards (e.g. Godalming Charterhouse), the name will be linked to the ward name.

Polling districts and polling places are fixed by the local authority.

Polling Places

Each polling district must be allocated a polling place which is a building or area in which the polling stations will be situated.

The polling place must be located within the polling district unless there are special circumstances that make it desirable to designate an area wholly or partly outside the district (e.g. if no accessible polling place can be identified within the district).

Due to the rural nature of the borough and the number of polling districts, it is often difficult to identify suitable premises within each polling district. Where no suitable venue can be identified, a temporary building or a venue within another polling district may be used.

Some premises may be suitable as a polling place, but the managers of the venue do not wish for it to be used. The ARO is not entitled to mandate the use of buildings except for local authority buildings e.g. local authority schools. 

The buildings listed as existing and recommended polling places are considered to be fit for purpose, accessible to the majority of the electorate and accessible for electors with disabilities.

Polling districts and polling places are fixed by the local authority.

Polling Stations

A polling station is the room or area within the polling place at which ballot papers are issued and voting takes place.

Unlike polling districts and polling places which are fixed by the local authority, polling stations are chosen by the relevant Returning Officer for the election.

The number of polling stations at each polling place will be determined by the Returning Officer in advance of any election and will vary according to the size of the eligible electorate and the likely turnout.

This review is regarding the polling districts and polling places used at parliamentary elections and will be subdivisions of the Godalming & Ash and Farnham & Bordon parliamentary constituency. However, these polling districts will also be used at Local Government elections. Therefore, polling district boundaries will not cross existing local government ward boundaries.