Chorley is set to break with tradition by counting votes at the General Election the day after votes are cast.
Council chief executive Donna Hall fears the volume of work for staff running the count will be too great if the Government calls a general election on May 6 – the same day as the local council polls.
In neighbouring South Ribble, where local elec
tions will not be held this year, officials are sticking with tradition by counting on the same night.
However, the issue has sparked a cross-boundary debate after it was revealed some parts of Chorley will know who theirMPis before others.
This year, the Parliamentary boundaries in Chorley and South Ribble are changing.
Parts of Eccleston, Croston and Mawdesley, which are still classed as Chorley Borough, will come under South Ribble when it comes to voting in the Parliamentary elections.
So, if South Ribble count son the same night as votes are cast, it means they will know who their MP is before people in Chorley.
Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle said: "It's a ridiculous situation.
There is a traditional excitement about election night, which will be lost by counting the day after."
Chorley Council chief executive Donna Hall, the Returning Officer, whose job it is to coordinate the counts, explained the decision to count he day after votes are cast.
She said: "We would prefer to do the count on the night.
There is an adrenaline and a buzz factor about the elections but in the interests of accuracy the sheer volume of votes we have to count makes it impossible.
If the two elections are on the same night we will have to count on Friday.
"I've proposed we start the count at 9am, which is only a few hours later than if we started on the night.
"It will give people a chance to get some sleep so they are focused on the mammoth task.
"Chorley is a key marginal and we are expecting a lot of close results, which mean accuracy is key. The decision is purely in the interest of accuracy," she added.
Chorley also has one of the highest percentages of postal voters – 23 per cent - in Lancashire.
Each postal vote has to be verified and scanned and council officials fear they will receive a high proportion of the votes at the last minute making the count even more tasking.
This month, MPs from all major parties supported a bill requiring local authorities to start counting votes within four hours of the polls closing.
However, the Electoral Commission has now said the bill may be unworkable.
