Committee hears of ballot box blunder

Counting team had pizza, while boxes lay open

A count in last year's general election was paused, leaving ballot boxes open and voting papers on the table, while the counting team had a pizza.

The incident happened in Ayre and Michael and was raised at yesterday's sitting of the Select Committee on the Organisation and Operation of the General Election by MHK Alfred Cannan.

The committee was set up following reported ballot box blunders in the constituencies of Garff and Ayre and Michael, a polling station mix-up in Ramsey, unhappiness about the advertising of some public meetings and inconsistencies about the way various election counts were carried out.

All  the issues were highlighted immediately after the election.

Mr Cannan says the incident at his count raised serious questions of security - and issues of procedure and integrity need to be standardised