Family Voting concerns escalate in Gorton and Denton byelection as observers record highest levels in decade
An election observer group deployed across Gorton and Denton has flagged widespread family voting and called for further scrutiny after volunteers recorded what they describe as the highest levels of this practice in their 10-year history. The findings raise questions about adherence to secret ballot rules, the visibility of signage discouraging interference, and the interaction with voter ID requirements on the day.
Family Voting: what observers saw
Democracy Volunteers recorded 32 cases of apparent collusion in the Gorton and Denton byelection. The organisation said those incidents represent the highest levels of family voting it has documented in a decade of observing UK elections. Observers reported family voting in 15 of the 22 polling stations they attended and noted nine cases in one single polling station.
Observer deployment and methodology
Democracy Volunteers, founded by Dr John Ault and supported by the Conservative peer and psephologist Prof Robert Haywood, deployed four accredited election observers across the constituency. The team attended 22 of the 45 polling stations while polls were open, spent between 30 and 45 minutes in each location, and worked in pairs. They observed a sample of 545 voters casting their votes.
Scale and comparative figures on family voting
From that sample of 545 voters, observers concluded that 12% either directed or were affected by family voting. The group contrasted the Gorton and Denton results with a recent Westminster parliamentary byelection in Runcorn and Helsby, where family voting was seen in 12% of polling stations and affected 1% of voters. In Gorton and Denton the observers reported family voting in 68% of the polling stations they observed, affecting 12% of those voters observed.
Ballot secrecy, signage and voter ID interactions
The enactment of the Ballot Secrecy Act in 2023 was cited as clarifying that family voting constitutes a breach of the secret ballot. Observers noted that signage discouraging the practice was visible in only 45% of the polling stations they attended. They also monitored the impact of the requirement for voters to show ID before being issued with a ballot paper as part of their observations.
Official responses and political reactions
Manchester city council stated that its staff had been trained to look for evidence of voter interference and that no concerns had been reported or raised with them while polls were open. Political figures reacted to the observers' findings. Labour called the reports extremely worrying and concerning; Anna Turley, the Labour party chair, said a presentation of the evidence and the observers' report is needed before deciding what authorities should investigate further, speaking in a broadcast interview.
The Green party leader, Zack Polanski, said he would back an investigation and emphasised the importance of transparency about the democratic process. The Reform UK chair, David Bull, described electoral fraud as a stain on democracy and said he would support reporting it and ensuring matters are handled in line with the law.
Other issues observed at polling stations
Volunteers also recorded instances of voters being turned away, but in every case this was attributed to not being registered to vote in Westminster elections—for example, EU citizens who are eligible only to vote in local elections. Observers reported seeing voters taking photographs of their ballot papers. They noted one person being authorised to vote despite them already [unclear in the provided context].
Observers have published an immediate on-the-night assessment of family voting at these polling stations and the data they collected will be the basis for any follow-up or formal inquiries. Recent updates indicate these details may evolve as further examination of the observers' findings and any official responses unfold.
