VOTERS in next year's council elections in Wales may be able to cast their votes in supermarkets and schools as part of plans by the Welsh Government to boost turnout.
The Welsh Government has written to the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) outlining potential ideas on voting flexibility with the intent to explore them in the local government election next May in a pilot scheme.
Allowing voting in schools would make it easier for 16 and 17-year-olds to vote, following legislation that allows those ages to vote in Wales, the Welsh Government claim.
Polling stations in supermarkets may offer many busy people the opportunity to vote in a familiar environment without having to travel very far.
Another plan being explored is ‘early voting’ - when polling stations open a day earlier or on the weekend prior to an election to give people more flexibility in voting.
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People may also be allowed to vote at any polling station instead of just the one that has been assigned to them based on where they live.
Mick Antoniw, counsel general and minister for constitution, said: “We want to make it as easy as possible for people to vote, which is why we’re looking at making voting possible in more places, including in shops and schools.
“Democracy should be a part of all our lives and if more of us take part, it will lead to better policy making by elected representatives and policies which truly represent the views and experiences of all of us.
“These voting pilots will help us to better understand how we can increase turnout.
"We believe making voting more flexible and easier will bring democracy closer to everyone.”
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If successful, these changes could inform how voting works in future elections, such as the Senedd election in 2026 and the local government elections in 2027.
Rebecca Evans, minister for finance and local government, said: “We have had constructive discussions with the Welsh Local Government Association about the need to modernise the way elections work.
“We’re now encouraging local authorities to step forward and play a part in shaping the future of elections in Wales.
“Piloting new approaches at the elections in May 2022 would be the first step in a longer term process that could see radical changes to how people exercise their democratic right to vote across the whole of Wales in future.”
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