ELECTION watchdogs are to check on both Kirklees and Calderdale councils in a crackdown on voting fraud.

Both authorities are included in a list of 15 councils to face scrutiny over how they run elections.

Those with a history of allegations or convictions for fraud were chosen for monitoring by the Electoral Commission.

The news came as it was confirmed schemes to restrict postal voting and curbs on electioneering at polling stations are being floated.

The Electoral Commission is consulting on a number of ideas to stop ballot box fraud.

Kirklees faced allegations of electoral fraud last May and three men received cautions while one former Conservative member was convicted in 2008 for false applications to vote by proxy in Calderdale.

The Electoral Commission will monitor and evaluate the councils in the run-up to the 2014/15 elections to ensure there are robust plans to prevent and detect fraud.

Wider consultation into changes to voting procedures was being carried out from today and this includes restricting postal voting only to those physically unable to get to a polling station.

Voters could also have to prove their identity at polling stations.

Kirklees’ Deputy Returning Officer David Smith said: “We are happy to work with the Electoral Commission to ensure that elections in Kirklees are always free and fair and that the postal voting system is not misused in any way.

“We will work hard to ensure that democracy is protected and every effort is made to ensure that fraud is eliminated.”

Calderdale leader Clr Tim Swift said: “There will be work in areas where there have been complaints. Reputationally, I don’t like it.

“There have been no complaints but one which was prosecuted four years ago. However, I don’t want anyone to lose confidence in the electoral system so I am happy to work with the Electoral Commission to make sure we have safeguards in place.”

Asked if curbs on postal voting could hit voter numbers, Clr Swift said: “I think it would be a retrograde step to make and might make it harder for some people to post their vote.”

The Labour leader said he agreed with one proposal to curb parties from grouping outside polling stations, adding that one teller is enough.

The Electoral Commission will monitor 15 areas – Birmingham, Blackburn with Darwen, Bradford, Burnley, Calderdale, Coventry, Hyndburn, Kirklees, Oldham, Pendle, Peterborough, Slough, Tower Hamlets, Walsall, and Woking.

Jenny Watson, chair of the Electoral Commission, said: “There are trade-offs between making the system accessible and making it secure.

“These are not easy issues to resolve and we are not ruling out considering any potential solution at this stage.”

Conclusions from the consultation will be published in autumn.