Polling station opens 30 mins late

Gwynedd council has apologised after a polling station in Wales’ most marginal seat failed to open on time.
According to the authority, the venue at Canolfan Tregarth, near Bethesda, opened at 7:30 – 30 mins later than the 7am-10pm opening hours as stated by law.
A spokesperson on behalf of Gwynedd’s Acting Returning Officer blamed the delay on “exceptional” circumstances.
“Unfortunately, there was a delay of approximately half an hour in opening the Tregarth Polling Station near Bangor this morning,” the spokesman said.
“We sincerely apologise for this.
“This is wholly exceptional but we will nevertheless be reviewing the circumstances.
“All 114 Polling Stations across the Arfon and Dwyfor Meirionnydd constituencies are open and will be until 10pm tonight.”
Arfon was Wales’ closest run race in the 2017 General Election, with just 92 votes separating the victorious Plaid Cymru candidate with his nearest Labour challenger.
But one resident, who turned out to vote just after the scheduled opening time, said that other would-be voters walked away before being given a chance to exercise their democratic right.
“By 7:20am, several people had already left and said that they would not be able to vote due to the polling station not having opened on time,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
“This is in a constituency where under 100 votes separated the two leading candidates in the last election.”

By Gareth Williams – Local Democracy Reporter