Polling Place Review 2019
We carried out a review of our polling districts, polling places, and polling stations between September and December 2019. This is something we are legally required to do every five years, to make sure that all electors have reasonable facilities to vote as far as are practicable in the circumstances.
A polling district is a geographical area within a parliamentary constituency, within which a polling place can be determined that is most suitable for electors. Each polling district has its own reference, for example Adderbury is CAA1.
A polling place is the building or area where you can find the polling station, such as Woodgreen Leisure Centre or Morrisons Car Park.
A polling station is the actual room where you vote, where the polling station staff sit with the paperwork and the ballot box. This must be located within the polling place that has been designated for the polling district. In some cases, there is more than one polling station within a polling place, depending on the number of people who vote there.
We have to make sure that each polling district has somewhere that electors can go and vote. If there isn’t a suitable building to use as a polling station, or an area to put a temporary building for electors to vote in, then we can send electors to a polling station in the neighbouring polling district.
The review took place in two stages. The first stage was to gather information and feedback on the current polling places and polling stations. We considered all feedback and made recommendations about whether polling stations should remain the same or should change.
- Acting Returning Officer recommendations on polling stations
- Responses received during the first consultation
A second consultation stage was held between 30 September and 1 November, when people could comment on the recommendations. The results of the second consultation are available to view
All consultation responses received have been considered, and a final report was submitted to the full Council meeting on Monday 16 December.
Where changes to polling stations have been agreed, changes will take effect from May 2020.
We have to publish all comments received in connection with a polling place review. If we have received a comment on behalf of a group, such as a parish council, political party or disability access group, we will name the group, but we will not publish the names of individuals who have commented.