Something doesn’t add up about the Hythe West By-election

Congratulations to Cllr Jenni Hawkins (Green) (pictured) for winning the local by-election for the Kent County Council – Hythe West Division

The Conservative candidate John Gabris came second and Tony Cooper, the Labour candidate came third. Andy Weatherhead who previously held the seat came last. 

The result was as follows:

Now there is something rather odd about all this. The number of spoilt ballots was 7, according to the declared result by the deputy returning officer.

The number of eligible voters or electorate for the division is 12,958.

The number of Ballot Papers Issued was 3,585, so if one takes away seven from this, one is left with 3,578, and the votes cast was 3,576, meaning 2 ballot papers have vanished.

Also, the turnout according to the declaration by the deputy returning officer, Dr Susan Priest (pictured), Chief Executive of Folkestone & Hythe District Council, was 27.26%.

However, when one does the maths, 3,576 votes cast from a total electorate of 12,958 equals 27.59%, not 27.26%, as the declaration by the deputy returning officer states. Even if we add in the two ballot papers which appear to have vanished, we arrive at 27.61%.

If one includes all ballot papers, regardless if they were spoilt or not, so 3,585 against the electorate of 12,958, the percentage equals 27.67%.

To reach the percentage turnout figure the declaration states: 27.26%, the number of eligible votes cast to reach that percentage would be 3,532. That’s a difference of 44 votes, from those cast.

Now of course, this would make no difference to the overall result. 

We are highlighting these discrepancies in the public interest, as the May elections will soon be upon us. 

The Shepway Vox Team

Dissent is NOT a Crime