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Review of polling districts and polling places

Dorset Council carried out a review of polling districts and polling places in the Dorset Council area during autumn/winter 2023. 

The new arrangements came into force, and publication of the revised electoral register took place, on 1 February 2024.

You can read about the review below.

Why we carried out a review of polling districts and polling places

Under the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013, all local authorities are required to complete a formal review of their parliamentary polling districts and polling places at least every five years. The last review in Dorset Council took place in 2019. You can view the report considered by the council at its meeting on 21 November 2019 and the minutes of the meeting. 

In Dorset, polling places are also considered annually following an election and in response to feedback and comments received from polling station staff, councillors and electors. The council had also undertaken Community Governance Reviews during 2021/2023 which had led to changes to some of the boundaries, resulting in potential changes to where electors would need to go to cast their vote. 

Arrangements for the review

This formal review of polling districts and polling places took place between October and December 2023. You can view the notice of review of polling districts and polling places and polling stations. 

Timetable for this review
Notice of start of review 3 October 2023
Start of consultation period and publication of (Acting) Returning Officer's comments 3 October 2023
End of consultation period 13 November 2023
Considerations undertaken 14 November to 27 November 2023
Report to Full Council meeting 14 December 2023
Arrangements come into force (and publication of revised register) 1 February 2024

Issues which were considered during the review

Explanations of the key terms used in the review - "polling district", "polling place" and "polling station" - are shown below:

  • a polling district is a geographical area created by the sub-division of a parliamentary constituency for the purposes of a UK Parliamentary election
  • a polling place is the building or area in which the Returning Officer will allocate a polling station. The polling place should be designated so that the polling station is within easy reach of all electors from across the polling district
  • a polling station is the room or area within the polling place where voting takes place. Unlike polling districts and polling places, which are fixed by the local authority, polling stations are selected by the relevant Returning Officer for the election

How we decided where a polling station would be located 

Consideration had to be given to various factors when deciding where to locate a polling station, including: 

  • where practicable, polling district boundaries should be well defined, for example railway lines, roads, rivers, and
  • each polling place should be located within the relevant polling district and any building should be accessible to all voters, including those with disabilities

We also aimed, where possible, to minimise any disruption from elections within the community. For example, we tried not to use schools to avoid any detrimental impact on children’s education.

Where schools are used as polling stations, it is a decision of the head-teacher whether the premises remains open or closes. Where a decision is taken to remain open, we endeavour to work with the school to minimise the impact on children’s safety.

However, we also had to balance these factors with the need to ensure that all electors are able to cast their vote at an election as easily as possible.

Thought had to be given, for example, to:

  • the distance people had to travel to vote and any barriers to them getting there, such as major roads; 
  • whether the building had good access for wheelchair users or pushchairs; and
  • whether the location had parking spaces  

There were a large number of considerations and the final decisions we made had to be a balance between all these factors.

Comments of the (Acting) Returning Officer for the Parliamentary Constituencies of North Dorset, South Dorset and West Dorset

As part of the Review, the (Acting) Returning Officer for the Parliamentary Constituencies of North Dorset, South Dorset and West Dorset considered the current arrangements for polling districts, polling places and polling stations within the Dorset Council area. His comments, which took into account feedback and comments received from polling station staff, councillors and electors following the most recent elections, and the outcome of the recent council-wide Community Governance Review, can be viewed using the links below, together with accompanying maps for some areas.

View a map of the polling districts in the Dorset Council area. 

Polling stations are ordered under the council ward in which they are located:

You can also view a complete document showing the above information as well as figures and statistics relating to the electorate for each polling station. 

We listened to your views 

We asked various people, organisations and groups for their views on polling districts and polling places within the Dorset Council area during the consultation period, which ran from 3 October to 13 November 2023.     

Electors within the Dorset Council area, or the Parliamentary Constituencies of Christchurch (Dorset Council part), Mid Dorset and North Poole (Dorset Council part), North Dorset, South Dorset and West Dorset, were also able to make a representation.

The Council welcomed the views of all residents, particularly disabled residents, or any person or body with expertise in access for persons with any type of disability, on the proposals, the (Acting) Returning Officer's representation, or any other related matters.

The (Acting) Returning Officer (ARO) for the Parliamentary Constituencies of Christchurch and Mid Dorset and North Poole was also consulted for the areas which come under Dorset Council.

Conclusion of the review

Following the end of the consultation period on 13 November 2023, all representations received were considered alongside the (Acting) Returning Officer's comments and other factors and issues, identified below, and a report, setting out the final proposals, was considered and approved by Full Council at its meeting on 14 December 2023, with the minutes of the meeting also available.

Maps for the new polling districts can be viewed below:

Further information and key documents

If you are unable to access or view any of the documents on this page, please contact Electoral Services on 01305 838299 or by email at elections@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk