#deniedmyvote: EU citizens complain of being turned away at polling stations in European elections

EU citizens living in the UK claimed today they were turned away from polling stations and unable to vote in the European elections. 

Within hours of the polling booths opening, the hashtag #deniedmyvote was trending on Twitter. 

Administrative errors, a lack of correct forms being sent out to voters and late registration were blamed for the inability of people to cast their ballot.

Agata Patnya, an immigration and human rights barrister, tweeted: “Turned away from polling station this morning. Told I should vote in my EU member state. 

“I registered before the deadline. Have been here since 2005. Voted many times before. This is my member state.”

Marcella Finazzi wrote on Twitter: “Just went to vote this morning with my orange poll card and I was told I cannot vote because I figure as Italian citizen not British Italian.”

Another user showed photos of her registration with a London borough council but claimed she was still turned away. 

“As an EU citizen I was denied my right to vote in the hostile UK,” she wrote on Twitter.

Lewisham Council were among the boroughs helping voters this morning after they found themselves unexpectedly unable to vote.

They asked people listed as “ineligible to vote” when they turned up to their polling station to call them and they would try and investigate.