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The Electoral Commission, the independent elections watchdog, has yesterday confirmed that it is considering two appeals relating to the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland’s review of Howard Primary School, Moygashel, County Tyrone as a polling place.

In April 2015 the Chief Electoral Officer announced his decision to no longer use Howard Primary School as a polling place and to instead designate two new polling places at Dungannon Leisure Centre and Roan St. Patricks Primary School, Eglish in its place. Under the Representation of the People Act 1983, appeals against the Chief Electoral Officer’s reviews can be made to the Electoral Commission.

Two such appeals have been made to the Commission, the first by Tom Elliott MP and the second by Lord Morrow of Clogher Valley MLA. Both appeals are available to view on the Commission’s website here.

As part of the Commission’s consideration of the two appeals it will be seeking information from the Chief Electoral Officer relating to his review. It will also be considering any representations submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer during both his first review of the use of Howard Primary School as a polling place (carried out between September 2014 and January 2015) and his second review (carried out in March and April 2015). The Commission will also consider any new or additional information that it receives as part of its consideration of these two appeals.

Any additional information should be submitted to the Commission no later than 31 July 2015 either via email to appeals@electoralcommission.org.uk or in writing to Legal Counsel, The Electoral Commission, 3 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YZ.

For further information please contact Cahir Hughes on 028 9089 4023 or press@electoralcommission.org.uk / outside office hours 07789 920414

Notes to editors

1. The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. We regulate party and election finance and set standards for well-run elections. We work to support a healthy democracy, where elections and referendums are based on our principles of trust, participation and no undue influence.
2. An appeal against a polling place review can only be made on the grounds that the review did not meet the reasonable requirements of electors in the constituency or take sufficient account of disabled access to polling stations
3. Only certain persons have a right to make an appeal. These are: 30 or more electors in the constituency, an elector in a constituency in Northern Ireland who made representations to the Chief Electoral Officer during his review, a person who is not an elector in Northern Ireland but who we think has either sufficient interest in disabled access to polling places in the area or particular expertise in disabled access to premises and facilities.
4. On 25 March the Commission reinstated Howard Primary School as a polling place following consideration of an appeal relating to the Chief Electoral Officer’s decision to close it as a polling place in January 2015. We found that the Chief Electoral Officer had not properly consulted with voters affected by this decision. You can view our decision here   
5. Following our decision the Chief Electoral Officer conducted a second review starting on 26 March which resulted in the closure of Howard Primary School as a polling place and voters being relocated to Dungannon Leisure Centre and Roan St. Patricks Primary School. The two appeals by Mr Elliott and Lord Morrow relate to this second review.