Voting fraud 'largely stamped out'

12 April 2012

Last year's elections in England and Wales were "free from major incidents" of electoral fraud, voting watchdogs have revealed.

The 16 million votes cast in the local, London mayoral and London Assembly ballots resulted in just 103 "malpractice" cases, the Electoral Commission (EC) said.

One of the cases - which involved making a false information to vote by proxy in Hampshire - resulted in a conviction and fine of £1,015 for the perpetrator.

Nine cautions were also issued, for offences such as multiple voting and providing false statements in a nomination paper.

The votes last year were cast in nearly 4,000 separate elections involving over 13,500 candidates.

"When considering the integrity of the elections, it is against this scale of voting and number of candidates and elections that the reported number of allegations of electoral malpractice should be viewed," the EC report said.

Greater Manchester saw the largest number of malpractice cases, with 12.

South Wales, West Midlands and Thames Valley were closed behind with 11, while Essex had nine cases.

Jenny Watson, the EC chairwoman, said there were still "vulnerabilities" in the system but the data should help to reassure voters.

She said: "It's important that when people cast their vote, they can have confidence that the electoral system is secure."

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