Vote elsewhere
What is vote elsewhere?
Vote elsewhere would give voters with accessibility needs the option of voting at an alternative polling station of their choice, which may better meet their needs or be more conveniently located. The ‘vote elsewhere’ option would be available only on the scheduled polling day.
| Potential benefits | Potential challenges |
|---|---|
| Improving accessibility, choice and convenience about where to vote | Ensuring that locations are suitably equipped to meet different accessibility needs |
| Boosting levels of voter satisfaction in the voting process | Ensuring information about equipment provided for accessibility is proactively available so people can make an informed choice |
| Returning Officers would be able to focus limited resources or provide additional trained staff to particular polling stations to make them centres of excellence for specific needs. This should not enable accessibility support to be siloed into one or a handful of polling stations in the area | Ensuring locations are accessible to everyone who might need to use an alternative polling station |
International experience
Data collected by the ACE project in 226 countries suggests that in a range of countries people can choose where to vote – either at any polling station in the same voting district (21) or any polling station in the same country (15).
Basic model
We looked at how vote elsewhere could work at a basic level for elections in the UK. We have set out the main features of a model that we think would be needed if a government within the UK decided to implement vote elsewhere.
Further options
We also looked at some other options that could be added to the basic model.
Eligibility
- Eligibility to vote elsewhere could be widened to include those who wish to vote at an alternative polling station that is closer to their polling day location, such as key workers, or those who would find it more convenient to vote elsewhere – for example, at a location close to the railway station in the case of some commuters.
Locations
- Returning Officers could choose to designate some but not all polling stations as vote elsewhere options. For example, a polling station near to a hospital, a railway station or other point where higher numbers of people from across the electoral area may be.
Find more information about what would be needed to deliver vote elsewhere