A short-lived but interesting Twitter conversation last night revealed that some Edinburgh voters feel uncomfortable attending polling places in more or less religious buildings. The tweets are copied below this article.
Churches (rather than church halls) and denominational schools were mentioned.
The Spurtle end of the conversation did not at first share such concerns, and in the context of voting, could not imagine feeling influenced by the religious purposes to which a structure in Edinburgh is likely to be put, or the symbols it may contain.
Perhaps he is a model of open-minded tolerance, or thick-skinned insensitivity, or ignorance.
In any case, Spurtle wondered this morning what criteria are used when choosing polling places.
Much is revealed in the 'Council's Statutory Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places', (see very foot of page) dated 12 December 2013.
In the Council's list of Edinburgh's 176 polling places from December 2013, we counted 36 in the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency (used for Westminster and yesterday's European elections).
Of these, 11 were library or community/health centres, 9 church halls, 7 non-denominational primary or secondary schools, 4 churches, 3 denominational primary or secondary schools, 1 mosque, 1 church café.
How to choose?
The cost of hiring the polling places is a major consideration. These costs are recovered from the government for parliamentary and referendum polls, but are paid for by City of Edinburgh Council in local government elections.
Other considerations are summarised in the Review below:
The current set of polling places for the city was assessed on the basis of location, capacity, availability and accessibility. The aim is to use fully accessible buildings, located conveniently for all voters, available for use in the event of any scheduled or unscheduled poll, with sufficient capacity to accommodate as many polling stations as may be required for the electorate of the district. It is not always possible to identify ideal premises in each area, so the best available options are chosen. For example, reasonable adjustments such as ramps may be needed to support access or sometimes it may be appropriate to designate a place that falls outwith the district.
School premises are attractive choices for councils since they can be used free of charge, are often conveniently located and accessible, and are well known locations to local voters.
But, as City of Edinburgh Council chief executive Sue Bruce observed in a letter to Chris Highcock in CEC's Corporate Governance Directorate last year:
The use of schools as polling places is always a controversial issue. The closure of schools to facilitate polling can disrupt pupils’ education mean that parents and carers need to arrange appropriate childcare. However this needs to be balanced against the responsibility that Council has to provide adequate, accessible and convenient polling facilities. With the recent decision to schedule an in service training day on the date of future scheduled elections, this disruption should be minimised.
When voters were consulted about polling places in November 2013 (results are summarised in the Review), by far the greatest number of complaints and suggestions came from parents objecting to their children's education being disrupted. South Morningside and Cramond Primary School parents were particularly vocal.
A review of districts in Forth Ward stemmed from two voters who pointed out that Holy Cross RC Primary School was at the top of a steep hill, and a long way from voters living in the north of the district. It was therefore proposed to split the district, with northerly voters attending Newhaven Church and southerly ones going to Trinity Primary School.
So far as Spurtle could tell, no respondents to the Council consultation objected to polling places on the grounds of their religious use or associations. In fact, many parents suggested churches or church halls as alternatives to schools.
So there you have it. If you would like to add your comments to the thread below, please do so. Contact us by email: spurtle@hotmail.co.uk or Twitter: @theSpurtle or Facebook: Broughton Spurtle
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Bit bothered about having to vote in an actual church today. Why not St Serf's church hall this time? #Edinburgh #Elections2014 #churchstate
Broughton Spurtle @theSpurtle
@rebelraising 'Fish know no nationality.' http://www.broughtonspurtle.org.uk/sites/broughtonspurtle.org.uk/files/Spurtle_182.pdf … Buildings know even less, and have no religion.
@theSpurtle Indeed. But they are associated with religions sometimes, and that's inappropriate for voting.
@rebelraising Oh, damn it, you're right.
@Southsidegrrrl Urgh. Church out of all of it - state and school!
Broughton Spurtle @theSpurtle
@rebelraising There again, all buildings have potentially difficult associations. Secular sympathetic magic is no more neutral or rational.
@theSpurtle I'd rather vote in a govt building whose ownership I have a saying!
@rebelraising we vote in Churches, Chapels, Schools, Clubs, Nurseries, Hotels, Mosques, Hospitals, Libraries - our community. It's healthy.
@IainMcGill not all of these things are the same. Not everyone feels comfortable in churches. And with "christian party" often on ballot...
@rebelraising they need more than a vote in a Church to help them I reckon!
@rebelraising Do you want all-inclusive, non-value-laden spaces? If so, I agree. But what? Can't be govt. Nationwide temporary marquees?@theSpurtle Could be govt - symbolises what we're voting for control of?
@rebelraising But, by association, they'd reinforce the status quo. No better than similarly paradigm-reinforcing churches and church halls?
@theSpurtle Difference is, if we all vote $party, $party controls school. Not so church. Pace us actually being controlled by Tesco, obv.
@rebelraising @theSpurtle I was uncomfortable voting in a religious school full of symbols when the ballot included parties of that faith.
@rebelraising wonder if Ed council did same as WLC and do a review of polling places, if so details might be online.
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@theSpurtle @Southsidegrrrl @IanMcGill @Feorag @_cerberus_ Thanks. Should point out St Serfs church less accessible than usual adjacent hall
@theSpurtle @Southsidegrrrl @IanMcGill @Feorag @_cerberus_ Also all schools were closed yesterday anyway, polling places or not!
@theSpurtle @rebelraising @IanMcGill @Feorag @_cerberus_ I'm fine voting in schools, but notwhen I have to go by SPUC posters to do so.
@theSpurtle @rebelraising @IanMcGill @Feorag @_cerberus_ (Yesterday it was just a poster about how to Hail Mary; an improvement!)
@theSpurtle Voting shouldn't take place in libraries: those favouring some parties likely to get confused/distressed near books.
@theSpurtle postal vote for me. I'm sunning myself in Gran Canaria at the mo
@FireBurn Good for you! But just leaves more room for the rest of us enjoying post-election beach volleyball at the Rodney St Triangle.