Police have closed a probe into alleged “family voting” in the Gorton and Denton by-election after finding no evidence of “any intent to influence or refrain any person” from casting a ballot.
Election observer group Democracy Volunteers said it had witnessed “concerningly high levels” of the illegal practice whereby a person enters a polling booth with someone else or otherwise directs their vote.
Reform UK, whose candidate Matt Goodwin came second with 28.7% of the vote, reported this to Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
The Green Party’s Hannah Spencer won the by-election in February with 40.7% of the vote and a majority of 4,402.
In a statement on Friday, GMP said eyewitness accounts from observers had suggested some instances of more than one person going into a booth at the same time, and of people looking over the shoulder of voters.
But the force said the observers did not allege “any verbal instruction or physical conduct that indicated one person was directing or coercing another regarding how to vote”.
“This is a crucial part of the legislation to prove such an offence was committed,” it said.
Police said they had asked Democracy Volunteers for descriptions of those alleged to be involved, and timings on when incidents are believed to have occurred.
These details were not documented, and officers were not provided with any identities or descriptions to pursue, meaning there is “no remaining reasonable line of inquiry”, GMP said.
The force said it had obtained some CCTV footage from three polling stations visited by Democracy Volunteers and spoken to the presiding officer from each one, but that no evidence was found of direction or coercion.
“There is no evidence to suggest any intent to influence or refrain a person from voting as stated in the Ballot Secrecy Act 2023,” it said.