Graeme Downie

Graeme Downie

Labour — Dunfermline and Dollar

Speaking in the House of Commons on 17 January 2025

Debate

Absent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Bill

Contribution

Although my mum did not work for the Electoral Commission, she was a polling counter both at polling stations during the day and at the count, including for the very first Scottish Parliament election; I remember vividly picking her up from the count at about 5 o’clock in the morning, having stayed up all night to watch it. Does my hon. Friend agree that if we are to improve the smooth running of elections in this country, we must support more people to participate in those vital roles, which involve very long shifts at polling stations followed by the counts, which can go on much longer? Anything we can do to support them would be much appreciated.

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