2019 electoral fraud data

A caution for false information on a nomination paper

The Police Service of Northern Ireland received a report that a Democratic Unionist Party candidate had submitted a local government election nomination form that included an address that they had previously lived at and not their current one. Once contacted by the police, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council confirmed that the nomination papers had been accepted for this candidate, and it was too late for the address to be removed from the notice of poll or from the ballot papers for the election.  

The candidate was not elected, but following a police investigation, they accepted a caution from police. 

A conviction for false information on a nomination paper

South Wales Police received a report that a candidate for a local council by-election (Neath Port Talbot Council) submitted a nomination form that included forged signatures. This was not discovered until after the close of nominations, and so the candidate remained on the ballot paper. 
The candidate was not elected.  
Following a police investigation the suspect pleaded guilty on the first day of the trial and was:

• sentenced to 6 months in prison, suspended for 12 months
• given a 15 days rehabilitation requirement
• ordered to complete 180 hours of community service
• ordered to pay costs of £2,366 

A conviction for false information on a nomination paper

Norfolk Police received a report that an independent candidate submitted a local government election nomination form that included a signature from a supporter that he knew was false.

The candidate was elected, but following a police investigation he stood down and was:

• fined £3,300
• not allowed to stand for election for five years

A conviction for using someone else's vote at a polling station

West Yorkshire police received a report from polling station staff that a man had voted twice in the European Parliamentary election.

A polling station staff member became suspicious and went to the police. The police then arrested and interviewed the voter. He admitted to voting twice, once using his own name and once using his son’s name. He was:

• sentenced to 8 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months
• given a fine of £50
• not allowed to vote for five years

A conviction for tampering with ballot papers

The Metropolitan Police received a report of a disruption at a polling station within the Erith and Thamesmead constituency at the UK Parliamentary general election. Someone entered a polling station and after being told that they were not entitled to vote, took hold of the ballot box to stop anyone else from casting their vote. Owing to the individual’s disruptive behaviour, police arrested the offender and took them away from the polling station. 

Following a police investigation the individual was charged with taking or interfering with a ballot box and pleaded guilty at court. 

He was sentenced to a 24 month rehabilitation activity programme and ordered to pay £620 in costs. 

A caution for using someone else's vote at a polling station

West Mercia police received a report that someone had voted at a polling station in the European Parliamentary election, but they weren’t on the electoral register.

The suspect knew that he was not on the electoral register and could not vote. Instead, he gave his father’s name to polling station staff and was given a ballot paper and cast his vote.

A polling station staff member suspected the voter was not who he said he was. They raised their concerns with the police who interviewed him under caution. He fully accepted that he had voted using his father’s name.

He accepted a caution from the police.

An election petition is a legal challenge to the result and/or the delivery of an election.

There were eight petitions following elections in 2019. Six of these were made after the 2 May elections. Only two of these were successful.

One petition was made following the 6 June 2019 Peterborough parliamentary by-election. Another petition was made following the 12 December 2019 UK Parliamentary general election in the East Ham Parliamentary constituency. Both petitions were unsuccessful.

More than half of all reported cases were about campaigning offences. Most of these were:

• campaigners not including details about the printer, promotor or publisher on election material - an ‘imprint’
• someone making false statements about the personal character or conduct of a candidate