Carmelia Bond made voters feel right at home as they cast their ballot in her son’s BEDROOM in the back of her bungalow. The polling station for East Cambridgeshire in Chettisham, near Ely, has been situated in the bedroom of Carmelia’s son, Marcus, for more than 30 years. Carmelia, 61, said: ”Marcus got used to the bedroom being taken off him on polling day, although he’s asked me to make sure all the people going in there to vote wipe their feet.”
Up to 100 voters were due to cast their ballot in a tiny bedroom measuring just 13ft by 10ft. The bedroom at Carmelia Bond’s bungalow in Chettisham, near Ely, Cambs., has been used in all seven general elections since 1979. Andy Dicks, 56, presiding officer, said: ”We’ve had to move a lot of the furniture out such as the bed but there is still table and a couple of chairs left in the bedroom.
”There are 133 people registered to use the bedroom to vote but its more likely around 60 or 70 will turn up. By 10am we already had around half a dozen.
”It is unusual and this is probably the smallest polling booth in the country. But its been used for years so for people in the village its not very unusual anymore.
”Marcus can’t use his bedroom today.”
A spokesman for East Cambridgeshire District Council said: ”It is really important that people take the opportunity to vote and as a local authority we do our best to provide polling stations which are easily accessible to local communities.
”So whether it is a village hall, a supermarket or football club, we make sure our residents get the chance to make their vote count.”