A first‑of‑its‑kind Central Voting Hub will give Milton Keynes voters the option to cast their ballot in the city centre at the local elections on 7 May.
For voters who are living, working, or visiting the city centre, the Central Voting Hub will be open inside Midsummer Place, near Waterstones, offering a convenient alternative to travelling back to a usual polling station. Voters will still receive a ballot paper for the ward they live in and are registered to vote in, just as they would at their local polling station. The hub will be open from 7am to 10pm, making it easier to fit voting into a busy day.
This year’s Milton Keynes City Council election is expected to be one of the most significant yet. A record 310 candidates are contesting 60 council seats across 21 wards, with every seat up for election following the introduction of brand‑new ward boundaries by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England. The changes reflect Milton Keynes’ rapid growth and represent the first review of the city council’s electoral map and representation since 2014.
Milton Keynes City Council is the only authority to trial a Polling Day Central Voting Hub in a Government pilot designed to make voting more convenient for people whose plans or routines mean they are away from their local polling station on election day. Similar approaches are already widely used in other countries particularly in the United States, where they are known as Super Precincts.
As with all polling stations, voters will need to bring photographic ID in order to receive a ballot paper.
Accessibility has been a key priority in the design of the hub. Milton Keynes City Council has worked closely with local groups to support voters with impairments or learning difficulties, including demonstrating how assistive equipment can be used on polling day. The hub will be equipped with McGonagle Readers, assistive devices that read ballot paper information aloud through headphones, allowing voters to understand their choices clearly, privately and independently. Fully trained staff will also be on hand throughout the day to offer assistance where needed.
Behind the scenes, significant work has gone into ensuring the election runs smoothly and securely. The city council has recruited and trained more than 700 election staff, and has put secure digital systems in place across all 133 polling stations. Voters will be marked off using an electronic tablet when they are issued with a ballot paper, with the systems securely connected to ensure voting records are updated in real time. This means each voter can only vote once – whether they vote at the Central Voting Hub or at their usual polling station.
“The Central Voting Hub is the first of its kind anywhere in the UK; yet again, Milton Keynes is leading the way. It gives people who know they will be in the city centre on election day a clear, practical option to vote where they already are, and I would encourage voters May to make use of it as it will be secure and convenient. We’ve been working behind the scenes to run all the checks that voters would expect us to, and I want to thank the election staff and everyone involved as we prepare to welcome voters.”
“Hosting the UK’s first city centre Central Voting Hub at Midsummer Place is something we’re incredibly proud to support. As a destination that welcomes thousands of people every day, we’re in a unique position to make voting more accessible and convenient for those who live, work or spend time in the city centre.”