The UK’s 2024 General Election is underway, and voters are heading to the polls to elect their next government. While most polling stations are standard fare like schools and village halls, some offer a more unique experience, like a historic windmill or a launderette. This article explores some of the quirkiest polling stations across the UK.
Voter facilitation posters (VFPs) stuck in polling stations in many government schools in Coimbatore have not been removed despite the elections ending on April 19. The Election Commission’s norms dictate that VFPs be placed outside the wall, near the entrance of each polling booth. However, some posters have been pasted inside the booths to identify polling agents and officers. The walls of many government schools were recently painted with sponsorships from NGOs and corporates, but these walls are now defaced with VFPs, some torn partially. A teacher from a government school expressed concern about the Election Commission’s outdated practice of using strong adhesives to paste VFPs on the walls outside polling booths. The teacher suggested that the Election Commission could instead keep a common flex at the entrance of a polling station with details of contesting candidates. The teacher also called for the Election Commission to allocate funds for the schools to remove the VFPs and repaint the walls if needed.
The ‘Namma Nade Matha Katte Kade’ campaign, launched by Dakshina Kannada’s SVEEP committee, has gained traction with people from all political backgrounds joining forces to increase voter turnout in the district. Activities like oath-taking, flag hoisting, cultural programs, tree planting near booths, and cleanliness drives are part of the campaign. The SVEEP committee places special emphasis on polling stations with low voter turnout in the 2023 assembly election.
