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Electoral fraud

Electoral fraud is an illegal interferance with the process of an election.

What is it?

Acts of fraud tend to involve affecting vote counts to bring about a desired election outcome, whether by increasing the vote share of the favored candidate, depressing the vote share of the rival candidates, or both. There are many different types of electoral fraud including:

  • Vote buying
  • Intimidation
  • Ballot stuffing
  • Misrecording of votes
  • Misuse of postal or proxy votes
  • Destruction or invalidation of ballot papers

What can I do?

There are simple steps you can take in order to prevent yourself falling prey to electoral fraud:

  • Keep polling cards and postal ballots safe at home , not allowing others to handle them at any time
  • If you arrive at the polling station and someone has voted in your name, notify the Presiding Officer. They will provide you with a tendered ballot allowing you to vote
  • When filling in postal ballots, do so alone. Do not allow anyone else to see you choice or cast it on your behalf
  • Put postal ballots into the envelope and seal it yourself
  • Under no circumstances give your postal ballot to anyone else before the envelope is sealed
  • If anyone tries to help you against your will or force you to give them your postal vote, contact the police

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If you think someone is carrying out electoral fraud or encouraging others to commit fraud, you can report this anonymously by telephoning 01733 452249.