Concerns about Covid-19 did not stop voters from taking part in elections earlier this year, according to reports published yesterday. Research and analysis from the Electoral Commission shows that there was no decline in turnout across Great Britain, compared to previous years, despite the pandemic.
May’s elections in England, Scotland and Wales were one of the most complex sets of polls held in recent times, with the additional challenges brought by the coronavirus pandemic.
The evidence shows that changes put in place by the UK’s governments, the Commission and electoral administrators helped to support and reassure voters and campaigners. People were confident that they could vote safely at the elections, and the overwhelming majority were able to vote using their preferred method.
Overall, candidates and campaigners were able to successfully put their case to voters face-to-face, online and through printed material, even though some restrictions remained in place during the campaign.
Ailsa Irvine, Director of Electoral Administration and Guidance, Electoral Commission, said: