The Clacton by-election ballot paper measures about 90cm and is the longest in UK history, costing the local council roughly four times more to print than a standard ballot. The contest — triggered when Nigel Farage resigned on 7 July and chose to stand again — attracts 34 candidates, including a record 20 independents. Postal votes are already being returned ahead of polling day on 13 August, and officials have introduced special folding, packing and counting arrangements to handle the oversized sheets.
Britain’s Longest Ballot: 90cm Clacton Paper Costs Four Times More and Forces Logistical Overhaul
The ballot paper for the parliamentary by-election in Clacton, as this replica shows, is nearly a metre long [SIMON DEDMAN/BBC]
The ballot paper for the Clacton parliamentary by-election has set a new British record for length and cost. When unfolded the single sheet stretches to roughly 90cm (3ft) — longer than many adults' arms — and the local authority says it is costing around four times as much to print as a standard ballot paper.
The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage on 7 July amid increased scrutiny of his finances and a parliamentary inquiry. Farage has nominated himself to stand again. Polling day is scheduled for 13 August, and postal votes are already arriving back at the town hall.
Tendring District Council chief executive Ian Davidson, who is acting as the returning officer for the Essex contest, described preparing for the vote as "manic" and said the unusual paper size has required significant operational changes.
Ian Davidson unfurled the ballot paper for the BBC [BBC]
"We've logistically been looking at the size of the ballot paper, how we fold it to get it into the envelope so we can send it out to our postal voters [and] how we manage the polling stations," Davidson said.
The council says the oversized sheets can exceed the length of a single polling table, so polling teams are using double tables and pre-sorting ballots in batches before verification and counting can begin. Returning officers have also had to redesign folding patterns and envelope packing to accommodate postal voters.
Record Number Of Candidates
The Clacton contest has attracted 34 candidates in total — another record for a House of Commons by-election — including a record 20 independents. Paul Whiteley, professor of government at the University of Essex, noted the previous record was 26 candidates at the Haltemprice and Howden by-election in July 2008; before that, Newbury in 1993 featured 19 candidates. Major national parties chose not to field candidates in Clacton.
A full list of the 34 candidates is available on the BBC News website. Election officials say the combination of record candidate numbers and the oversized ballot has forced them to rethink established procedures to ensure a smooth and transparent count on election night.
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