Warning over ‘votes irregularity’ at scandal hit Tower Hamlets council

Campaigners have warned of alleged voting irregularities in a London borough previously rocked by an election scandal.

They attended 39 polling stations in Tower Hamlets during the local elections on May 3 and said family voting was “unacceptably high”.

The practice involves families, generally a husband and wife, filling out their ballots together — and can lead to someone being told who to vote for.

Democracy Volunteers, an NGO which observes elections, said more than 19 per cent of all Tower Hamlets voters it saw were either engaged in, affected by or were at risk of taking part in family voting.

The group added that in the “vast majority” of cases it was prevented, or attempts were made to prevent it, by polling station staff.

However, the borough still saw an “unacceptably high level of family voting in an advanced democracy”.

A Democracy Volunteers observer added: “Family voting is a definite concern in Tower Hamlets.

“At the best-run polling stations, the Presiding Officers kept an active watch for potential cases and took steps to prevent it happening. All the observed cases of family voting took place when the PO was absent or distracted, or their attention was elsewhere.”

Tower Hamlets council put in a number of anti-fraud measures to ensure there was not a repeat of the 2014 mayoral election which was won by Lutfur Rahman who was later removed from office for corrupt and illegal electoral practices.

Exclusion zones were placed around every polling station and police officers equipped with body-worn cameras stood guard. The election saw Labour’s John Biggs win a second term as mayor and the party take all but three seats on the council.

Observers said they were “very impressed” by the training of election staff on the day.

However some polling stations still saw large groups of people crowded outside and one volunteer was made to feel “uncomfortable” by a group of 15 men huddled around a Poplar station.

Will Tuckley, chief executive of Tower Hamlets council and returning officer, said: “The issue of someone assisting a family member to cast their vote is complex and not as simple as it may seem. We are confident that it was not a significant factor at the most recent election but we will continue to take steps to reduce its prevalence in future.

“Specific training was provided to all presiding officers. The Democracy Volunteers report acknowledges that in the ‘vast majority of cases’ staff stepped in to protect the secrecy of the voting process.”

Conservative Councillor Peter Golds said more still needs to be done to ensure voter safety in the borough.

"Voters should be able to enter a polling station and cast their vote in private and in peace," he told the Standard.

"This is not always the way in Tower Hamlets."