…from the Guardian….
A nationwide picture is emerging of EU citizens in the UK being denied their democratic right to vote in the European parliament elections because of administrative errors by local councils.
Reports are coming in from across the country of EU nationals turning up at polling booths and finding their names crossed out and being told by officials they are not eligible to vote.
Dozens have contacted the Guardian to say that the forms they had to sign to declare they were choosing to vote in this country had either turned up too late or not turned up at all.
Several have been told they should vote in their own country. One was advised to go to her embassy, something which pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller said demonstrates how the “hostile environment” has now infected elections.
German nationals Kat Sellner and Moritz Valero said they were “shocked” to find they could not vote despite returning the forms on 2 May.
“It is unacceptable that this government and the election officers have discriminated against EU citizens.
“I will not be silenced and EU citizens will not be silenced,” said Valero.
After emerging from the polling station on the Isle of Dogs in east London, Valero said the officials were “very nice” but told her there was nothing they could do. They gave her a number to phone, which was the same number they had complained to last week when their ballot paper did not show up.
They received a letter at the end of April informing them they had to fill in a form to tell Tower Hamlets council they would vote in the UK and not Germany….