TURNOUT at Winchester poll stations for the Hampshire Police & Crime Commissioner elections has been ‘slower than normal’ according to the city council.

A council spokesman said they could not comment on turnout data for legal reasons but that stations had been quiet.

The spokesman said: “We cannot go into detail on the turnout until after the election for legal reasons. The only thing we can say about turnout is that it is slower than normal.”

Volunteer clerks at Winchester stations also said they were less busy than during general elections but that numbers of voters had been steady.

But voter Veronica Winn, 72, of Andover Road, Winchester, said residents should feel obliged to vote.

She said: “We are given the opportunity to vote so we should do it. It should be a duty. But I just wish they had not put the political parties on the ballot because politics should not come into this role.”

Polls close today (Nov 15) at 10pm with the result announced tomorrow in Southampton.

The candidates are Michael Mates (Conservative), Jacqui Rayment (Labour), David Goodall (Lib Dem), Michael West (UKIP), Don Jerrard (The Justice and Anti-Corruption Party) and Simon Hayes (Independent).