Why on earth do they use schools as polling stations?

33 replies

Blu · 02/05/2012 18:43

For the Mayoral Election in London tomorrow thousands - probably hundreds of thousands - of primary school children will lose a day's education.

Thousands - probably hundreds of thousands - of parents will lose a day's pay, have to take holiday, or be out of pocket paying for childcare.

Thousands of teachers and other school employees will be paid to not do their jobs.

The scale of economic impact must be enormous. Especially on national election days.

Why don't they use community centres, libraries, church halls, a SINGLE hall in a big school (a sports hall with a separate entrance, for example), or if they must use schools have the election on a Saturday!

OP posts:

Bunbaker · 02/05/2012 18:53

"The whole country shouldn't have to come to a standstill (in primary school terms) just because some small villages don't have alternatives!"

What has that got to do with it? Most English voters don't live in London.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 02/05/2012 18:52

Presumably schools are free to the council, doubt they could afford to hire enough venues.

HarrietJ0nes · 02/05/2012 18:52

We vote in a church. My parents are voting at the council building where the bins are kept
No schools shut here. Maybe we are more progressive oop north

EdithWeston · 02/05/2012 18:51

It's a local decision, and they have to have a specified number of Polling Stations.

If you can come up with a better venue for your ward, then suggest it to the Council, and get as many other parents from the school to suggest it too.

Original poster

Blu · 02/05/2012 18:50

Fine, if there's nowhere else.
But DS's primary, which is closed for polling tomorrow, is, like most schools in cities, and certainly most schools in london, surrounded by other places that coud accommodate voting.
The whole country shouldn't have to come to a standstill (in primary school terms) just because some small villages don't have alternatives!

OP posts:

southeastastra · 02/05/2012 18:48

they do here, depends on what is available in the ward

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 02/05/2012 18:47

It IS a national election day tomorrow fecking ignorant londoners think the whole world revolves aroound them

Bunbaker · 02/05/2012 18:46

Because in some areas there is nowhere else. Our village uses the local church hall, but the next village doesn't have a church hall or public building so they have to use the school. The main hall is used as a dining hall as well so they have to close the school.

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