The Senedd, Cardiff DUE to a local printing error, the Senedd North Wales Regional Ballot Papers for the constituencies in Gwynedd and Ynys Môn do not include the final listed candidate - Michelle Brown, Independent. Voters are being advised of this error as they attend their local polling stations, and are still being given the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice from the full list of nominated parties and candidates. A joint statement, by the Regional Returning Officer for North Wales (Colin Everett), Returning Officer for Gwynedd (Dilwyn Williams) and Returning Officer for Ynys Mon (Annwen Morgan), said: The correct ballot papers are being issued across the other parts of the North Wales region.
Wales election candidate missed-off ballot after printing error
Published
image captionMichelle Brown sat as a UKIP MS in the last Welsh Parliament until she resigned in 2019 to sit as an independent
An independent Welsh Parliament election candidate whose name was left off some ballot papers has called the error an affront to democracy .
Some voting papers for the regional north Wales seat did not include a box for independent Michelle Brown.
Returning officers said it was a printing error and said voters had been given the chance to vote for the full list at polling stations.
Ms Brown said she would be examining the results very carefully .
North Wales election candidate cut from tens of thousands of ballot papers
A blunder saw independent Michelle Brown’s name omitted from the Senedd s regional list for Ynys Môn and Arfon voters
16:13, 6 MAY 2021
Updated
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A North Wales regional candidate being omitted from tens of thousands of ballot papers across Gwynedd and Anglesey.
The relevant returning officers have confirmed that the advice of the Electoral Commission has been sought as a result of the error which saw Michelle Brown’s name failing to appear on the ballot papers of voters living in the Ynys Môn and Arfon constituencies.
BBC News
By Matthew Murray
The 2021 Senedd election has been the most challenging ever to organise because of the Covid pandemic.
Polling stations and count centres have had to be made safe and registering voters has become more complex by the inclusion of 16 and 17-year-olds.
Traditional polling stations, like village halls, have often been closed during lockdown.
And some councils have had to cope with count halls being turned into vaccination centres or field hospitals.
Many older buildings have also been unsuitable because of poor ventilation.
Some authorities will also host four separate counts: constituency and regional counts for the Senedd; Police and Crime Commissioner; and by-elections.
Ballot Box “Bring your own pencil” is the advice for voters visiting their local polling stations this week as Wales faces a democratic process like never before. The ongoing realities of living with Covid means that this year’s Senedd election will be like no other, with counting and electoral staff facing unprecedented challenges to ensure a fair and accurate poll. With social distancing also meaning that fewer counting staff will be on hand at some of the various counts, the process of sorting and eventually counting the votes won’t start until Friday morning, with the final makeup of the new Senedd not expected until the early evening.