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| Newcastle-under-Lyme election errors: Two officers suspended | Newcastle-under-Lyme election errors: Two officers suspended |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Two council officials have been suspended after almost 1,500 people could not vote in June's general election in a constituency that saw the successful MP win by just 30 votes. | Two council officials have been suspended after almost 1,500 people could not vote in June's general election in a constituency that saw the successful MP win by just 30 votes. |
| Newcastle Borough Council chief executive John Sellgren and Elizabeth Dodd, head of audit and elections, have been criticised for a number of issues. | Newcastle Borough Council chief executive John Sellgren and Elizabeth Dodd, head of audit and elections, have been criticised for a number of issues. |
| Voters were missed off registration and two voted who were not eligible to. | Voters were missed off registration and two voted who were not eligible to. |
| The leader of the Staffordshire council has apologised for the shortcomings. | The leader of the Staffordshire council has apologised for the shortcomings. |
| Labour's Paul Farrelly got 21,124 votes in the general election on 8 June to win the Newcastle-under-Lyme seat, narrowly holding off Conservative Owen Meredith who polled 21,094. | Labour's Paul Farrelly got 21,124 votes in the general election on 8 June to win the Newcastle-under-Lyme seat, narrowly holding off Conservative Owen Meredith who polled 21,094. |
| Mr Farrelly has described the issues on polling day as a "shambles" which left some people, including students, unable to vote. when they turned up at polling stations. | Mr Farrelly has described the issues on polling day as a "shambles" which left some people, including students, unable to vote. when they turned up at polling stations. |
| But in its independent investigation into events leading up to and around the election, the Association of Electoral Administrators said the outcome could not be challenged. | But in its independent investigation into events leading up to and around the election, the Association of Electoral Administrators said the outcome could not be challenged. |
| Conceding it was "impossible not to question the result" as the winning candidate's result could have increased as well as decreased, the official deadline to challenge results - 21 days - had passed. | Conceding it was "impossible not to question the result" as the winning candidate's result could have increased as well as decreased, the official deadline to challenge results - 21 days - had passed. |
| Council leader Elizabeth Shenton said: "I sincerely apologise on behalf of the council for that situation but we can't turn the clock back and right any wrong that occurred at that time." | Council leader Elizabeth Shenton said: "I sincerely apologise on behalf of the council for that situation but we can't turn the clock back and right any wrong that occurred at that time." |
| 'Inadequate performance' | 'Inadequate performance' |
| A "complex picture of administrative mistakes around registration and postal voting processes" meant first-time voters, including students and postal voters - including people in their 80s using the system for the first time - were unable to vote. | A "complex picture of administrative mistakes around registration and postal voting processes" meant first-time voters, including students and postal voters - including people in their 80s using the system for the first time - were unable to vote. |
| There was an "inadequate performance by inexperienced and under-resourced elections office staff", the report found. | There was an "inadequate performance by inexperienced and under-resourced elections office staff", the report found. |
| Personnel changes in office staff before the election also contributed to problems. Mr Sellgren was also acting returning officer for the election. | Personnel changes in office staff before the election also contributed to problems. Mr Sellgren was also acting returning officer for the election. |
| Ultimately, 500 postal voters were disenfranchised, nearly 1,000 potential electors were not included on the voting register and two were able to vote who were not to. | Ultimately, 500 postal voters were disenfranchised, nearly 1,000 potential electors were not included on the voting register and two were able to vote who were not to. |
| The report makes 16 recommendations to the council as well as some to the Electoral Commission and government over wider election issues. | The report makes 16 recommendations to the council as well as some to the Electoral Commission and government over wider election issues. |
| The full council will discuss the findings next week. | The full council will discuss the findings next week. |