Quarter of British public say Covid could prevent them from going to polling station in May’s elections

Majority want government and councils to make voting in May local elections easier

Barcelona’s Catalonia held regional elections last month against a backdrop of the Covid pandemic (Getty Images)

One in four people in Britain are less likely to go to a polling station to vote because of the coronavirus pandemic, a survey has found.

A poll from Hope Not Hate and the National Education Union found the majority of people (73 per cent) in England, Scotland and Wales want governments and councils to make it easier for them to vote in May’s local elections.

Some 74 per cent said they think the government should encourage people to vote by post or proxy if they are worried about Covid-19, while the same proportion felt councils should send out postal and proxy vote forms to every voter.

The online poll of 1,492 adults, conducted between 25 and 26 February, found 26 per cent said they were less likely to go to polling stations because of the pandemic. The figure was higher among some groups, with 41 per cent of Asian, 40 per cent of black and 38 per cent of mixed race respondents saying the situation would prevent them from heading to the polls.

The findings also varied betweena ages, with 42 per cent of 18-35 year olds and 36 per cent of 25-34 year olds saying they were less likely to vote. Older people were less likely to say fears of Covid-19 would deter them.

The poll also found that cynicism and distrust were listed as the main reasons why people said they would not vote.

Of those who said they would definitely not vote or were unlikely to vote, the five most common reasons given were: thinking their vote would not make a difference, believing politicians are all the same so it is not worth voting for any of them, having no interest in politics, being worried about catching Covid-19 and saying councils have no power so voting is pointless.

Local elections in England and Wales will be held on 6 May having been delayed last year due to coronavirus. Scottish parliamentary elections will take place on the same date.

Elections and referenda have taken place in many countries worldwide against a backdrop of the pandemic, with some suffering historically low turnout.