Polling booths to be set up in train stations and supermarkets to encourage people to vote

Voters in England will be able to cast their ballot at supermarkets and train stations at the upcoming local elections, the government has confirmed, in a bid to boost voter turnout.

Several councils across the country will test these new ‘flexible voting’ options on polling day, 7 May this year, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said.

A statement from the department adds: “By giving voters more choice about where and when they can vote, these changes aim to remove practical barriers that prevent people from taking part.”

The move mirrors models used in Scandinavian countries Sweden and Norway, where citizens are able to vote in advance at multiple locations that have in the past included supermarkets, train stations, libraries, and even IKEA.

A similar scheme was piloted in the UK between 2000 and 2007 but had little effect on voter turnout, an Electoral Commission report from the time found. Its evaluation found that while the scheme enhanced “the accessibility and convenience of the electoral process ... actual take-up of advance voting [remained] low”.

The new scheme has been announced alongside the introduction of the government’s new Representation of the People Bill, which will be laid in parliament today.

Amongst its sweeping measures is legislation to extend voting rights in all UK elections to 16- and 17-year-olds. The government says it is aiming to introduce the change before the next general election, set to take place in 2029 at the latest.

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The Bill also brings in new reforms to combat foreign actors using their money to interfere in UK elections, MHCLG says.

These measures will require companies that make political donations to show that they have a genuine connection to the UK. This includes demonstrating that they are headquartered in the UK and majority owned or controlled by UK electors or citizens.

The government says recent cases underline the need for the legislation. They cite that of former MEP Nathan Gill, the former Welsh Reform UK leader jailed for pro-Russian bribery, and Christine Lee, the UK-based lawyer identified as working covertly on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party

Housing secretary Steve Reed said: “The Representation of the People Bill will usher in a new era for our democracy – one that protects against foreign interference and empowers young people.

“With growing threats from abroad, now is the time to make changes to make our elections secure and get young people engaged in them.

“Our new laws will make this a reality – strengthening the safeguards on our elections and introducing once in a generation changes to finally give 16 and 17 year olds the voice they deserve.”

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Further rules will empower Electoral Commission to enforce heavier fines of up to £500,000 on those who breach political finance rules, and will crack down on voter intimidation and harassment.

Samantha Dixon, minister for democracy, said: “I know from speaking to so many passionate young people just how keen they are to get involved in our democracy. With democracy taught as part of the national curriculum – millions of young people will have the knowledge and confidence to take part in our democratic process for the first time.

“This landmark Bill will make their voices heard, while cracking down on those who wish to intimidate people taking part in our democracy and subvert our elections with illicit foreign money.”

Dr Parth Patel, associate director at IPPR, commented: “At the last election, only one in two people voted. We are trapped in a doom loop of low turnout and unresponsive government.

“This Bill is a significant step forward to break out of that. It represents the biggest reform to our electoral system in half a century, reducing the grip of the powerful and giving greater voice to those who go unheard.

“But this should be the beginning, not the end. Parliament should build on this Bill with a more demanding set of reforms to clean up the political system. Now is the time to put an end to corruption in British democracy.”