For the 2026 English local elections, the government has introduced measures to make voting more convenient and appealing. An experimental voting hub has even been set up inside a Milton Keynes shopping centre, allowing shoppers to cast their ballots during their retail therapy. However, for some residents of Whitley Bay, visiting the polling place might evoke a sense of mortal dread—and not necessarily due to the quality of candidates.
Voting Among the Graves
When election day arrives, the cemetery office in this Northumberland seaside town transforms into a voting station. This is not the first time locals have been asked to walk through the graveyard to participate in democracy. The same office was used for the 2024 general election. Photos taken at the site today suggest that voters, thankfully, have not been too creeped out by the prospect of encountering a ghostly figure on their way to the polls.
A Legendary Resting Place
Voters now have an additional reason to visit the cemetery. Last year, rugby fans rediscovered the final resting place of Ernest William Taylor—better known as Little Billie—a legend of the game in the late 19th century. He captained the English national team seven times between 1894 and 1899 and earned the nickname 'Prince of Half-backs'. The BBC reported in August that the previously 'run-down' gravestones of Taylor and his wife Mary Frances in Whitley Bay cemetery had been restored.
Other Unusual Polling Places
Less spooky polling stations are also available in the north-east. Some lucky residents of Sunderland will have the opportunity to vote at the Fulwell Windmill, the only working windmill in the region. For those interested in politics, Metro's senior politics reporter Craig Munro offers a newsletter, 'Alright, Gov?', which breaks down political chaos into easy-to-follow insights, sent every Wednesday.
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