Clerical errors prevent hundreds from voting
Hundreds of voters in two London constituencies have been told that they cannot vote because of “clerical errors” in the electoral register, it was disclosed today.
The mistakes, affecting residents in the London Borough of Hounslow, were discovered too late to be corrected before polling day.
A spokeswoman for the council said that “several hundred” people in Brentford and Isleworth and in Feltham and Heston could be affected.
However she said the vote could still go ahead legally in both constituencies as the numbers involved were too small to require the ballots to be suspended.
“We discovered last Thursday that there are some clerical errors in the electoral register,” she said.
“Unfortunately, the acting returning officer, who normally has the power to amend the register when clerical errors are discovered, is legally unable to do so within five working days of an election taking place.
“The council has conveyed its full apologies to those voters who are understandably upset and have briefed polling station staff to explain the situation to the affected individuals.
“We do not know how many voters are affected but it could be several hundred across two constituencies which together have in excess of 160,000 electors on the register.
“The precise figure will not be known until an audit has been completed immediately after the election.”
Brentford and Isleworth was held at the last general election for Labour by Ann Keen with a majority of 10,318 while her husband, Alan, held Feltham and Heston with a majority of 12,657.
