Why you vote with a pencil in the local elections 2023

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Voters in parts of England will have their say in the local elections today (Thursday May 4). Some 230 local authorities are holding elections, with hundreds of candidates eager to gain seats.

Just under a third of local authorities are having all-out elections, where every seat is up for grabs. In Greater Manchester, these include Oldham, Wigan, Tameside, Stockport, Trafford and Bolton.

When visiting the polling station to cast your vote, you might notice they are traditionally stocked with pencils instead of pens.

Pencils, which used to be attached to a string inside the polling booth, have always been supplied in polling stations for local elections, general elections and referenda.