Why do we vote with a pencil?

The Electoral Commission has explained why voters are encouraged to use pencils at the ballot box.

As the public headed to the polls on Thursday some had questioned why pencils were being provided for the electorate to cast their votes.

On social media some called for pencils to be banned and there were pleas for Britons to bring ink pens amid fears their papers could be interfered with.

However the Electoral Commission (EC), an independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK, said pencils were used for both historical and practical reasons.

Pencils are available inside polling stations because with pens there is a risk that ink would run, the EC said.

Although there is no legal requirement to use the pencil provided, the electoral body said wet ink can transfer on a ballot paper when it is folded.

This may lead to the paper being rejected as it could appear an individual has attempted to vote multiple times.

The EC added that pens are also prone to drying or spilling which could lead to people being unable to vote or to ballot papers being spoiled.

‘No legal requirement’

A spokesman said: “In the UK, pencils are traditionally used for the purposes of marking ballot papers and are made available inside polling stations for voters to use.

“However, there is nothing to stop a voter from using a pen to mark their vote - there is no legal requirement for ballot papers to be marked with a pencil.

“The reason that pencils are traditionally used is partly for historical and practical reasons: with ink pens there is always a risk that they may dry out or spill. Also, ink may cause some transfer of the mark the voter has made on the ballot paper when they fold it, thus potentially leading to a rejection as it may look like they have voted for more options than they are entitled to.”

Social media

They added: “There may be a risk that a voter’s ballot paper might be spoiled if ink transfers to elsewhere on the ballot paper, but it is unlikely to spoil other ballot papers. This is why pencils are used in the polling station.”

The comments come after some took to social media and urged voters to “use pens” at the polling booth.

Others called for pencils to be banned as they claimed it opened up the election to voter fraud.

It is not the first time writing implements have been the subject of interest during a vote.

Fountain pens

The Telegraph reported in 1922 that fountain pens used to mark voting papers had caused many papers to be spoiled.

Voters using ink pens in Sunderland had folded their ballot papers, leading to marks being copied and appearing next to another candidate’s name.

Counters were said to have struggled to identify the original vote. This paper reported that “more than a score of papers” were consequently rejected.

The article read: “The use of fountain pens to mark voting papers by electors at Sunderland caused many spoiled papers. Voters had folded the paper when the ink was wet, and the cross had been duplicated opposite another candidate’s name.

“The difficulty was for the counters to decide which was the original mark. Much time was wasted, and more than a score of papers rejected as spoils.”