From ping pong to politics: Milton Keynes launches unique central voting hub for local elections
A city centre ping pong parlour is to be transformed into MK’s first ever central voting hub to help the local elections go with a spin next month.
The table tennis venue in Midsummer Place, near Waterstones, will become a universal polling station for visitors to the centre cast their ballot on Thursday May 7– wherever they live.
The model is based on ‘Super Precincts’ widely used in the United States. These are large, central voting locations that allow people to vote around work, travel and daily routines. Secure digital systems ensure voters can vote only once, wherever they choose to attend.
Midsummer Place is a major city‑centre destination welcoming thousands of shoppers every day, so it is hoped election turn-out targets will be smashed this year.
Milton Keynes City Council is the only local authority in the UK trialling this approach on polling day as part of a Government pilot.
A City Council spokesperson said: “The Central Voting Hub pilot is a government initiative designed to test ways of making voting more convenient and accessible. Several areas are taking part in the pilot, but only Milton Keynes will be testing a central voting hub. The costs of the pilot will be covered by government.”
May 7 will see all-out elections to 60 seats across the 21 new wards in MK. Currently there is a Labour majority and Labour administration but pundits predict the election could see a significant shift with the council likely moving to No Overall Control (NOC).