Review of polling districts and polling places

The review period will begin on Thursday 22 August 2024. The publication of a formal Notice of Review with comments and observations invited for a period of six weeks from that date until Friday 4 October 2024.

The review will end with the publication of the council’s conclusions no later than Friday 15 November 2024.

The review is designed to see if the polling districts and polling places in the Parliamentary Constituencies within the City of London are arranged to suit the needs of voters and cover:

• the polling district boundaries within the borough
• the location of the polling places and stations in each polling district
• access to each polling station

This is not a review of the:

• City of London ward boundaries
• Parliamentary constituency boundaries

What does the review involve?

The review process starts with an official Notice of Review, which gives details of when and where comments or representations can be made.

Any elector in the City can make a representation in relation to the size and boundaries of polling districts and the location and suitability of polling places.

The City of London also welcomes representations from any elected members in the area, political representatives and any person or body with expertise in access for persons with any type of disability.

The (Acting) Returning Officers must respond to any constituency that falls wholly or partially within the City of London. Their comments will be published on our website.

What’s the difference between a polling district, place and station?

• A polling district is a geographical sub-division of an electoral area, i.e. a UK Parliamentary constituency, a borough ward or an electoral division.
• A polling place is a geographical area in which a polling station is located. There is no legal definition of what a polling place is the geographical area could be defined as tightly as a particular building or as widely as the entire polling district.
• A polling station is the actual area where the process of voting takes place.

What makes a suitable polling place?

Location

• Locations should not be changed without good reason
• Is it reasonably accessible within the polling district?
• Does it avoid barriers for the voter such as steep hills, railway lines or major roads?
• Are there convenient transport links?

Size

• Can it accommodate more than one polling station if required?
• If several polling stations are required, is the polling place big enough to accommodate all voters going in and out of the polling stations, even where there is a high turnout?
• double polling stations in the same polling place are often used when there are high numbers of voters

Suitability

• Is the building available in the event of any unscheduled elections?
• Is there any possibility that the building may be demolished as part of a new development?
• Is the building accessible to those entitled to attend the polling place?
• Are there facilities for polling staff such as toilets, kitchen facilities, heating, lighting and suitable furniture?

Notice of Review