A POLLING cards error is thought to have kept potential voters away from the polling stations.
A number of households in the Lindley ward – particularly around the Birchencliffe and Quarmby areas – did not receive their polling cards.
An administrative gaff or a postal error is thought to have been the cause.
While polling cards are not required to vote, many households were left confused and some are believed to have stayed at home in the ward which recorded a 35% turnout on Thursday.
Residents received a note through the door on Thursday morning explaining they could vote without a polling card and where to go to vote.
Voter Neil Simpson, of Birchencliffe, said: “It was very poor.
“There will have been people who had gone to work who wouldn’t have even known about it.”
Lindley Lib Dem councillor Cahal Burke expressed his anger at the error.
He said: “People are disaffected with politics already and I think this affected the turnout.
“Some people thought they couldn’t vote and the council tried to inform them, but for a lot of people it was too late.
“I’m not saying it would have changed anything but people should have had their say and they didn’t.”
A Kirklees Council spokesman said: “We were made aware of this problem on Wednesday night and elections staff identified which streets were affected and organised for poll cards to be hand delivered there on Thursday morning explaining that these are not required to vote and telling people where the polling station was.
“Everyone should therefore had had the opportunity to vote and it shouldn’t have affected the vote.”
