Sinead Butler
May 05, 2022
IndependentTV
People across the UK head to the polls today (May 5), as local elections take place in England, Scotland and Wales, while assembly elections are happening in Northern Ireland.
It's all to play for since in England there are 4,360 seats on 146 councils in contention, as well as a few mayoral elections also taking place.
In Scotland, there are 1,227 seats and 32 councils up for grabs with 1,234 seats and 22 councils in Wales, as well as 90 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
This year's local elections are seen as an indicator of the public's mood towards the current Tory government on issues such as the cost of living crisis and the Partygate scandal.
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But with this election day also comes the popular (and cute) tradition of combining democracy with dogs as voters show off their canine companions as they cast their votes and post photos using the hashtag "dogs at polling stations."
At last year's local elections and in previous years there has been an impressive turnout of doggos, and this year they are out in full force once again.
Prime minister, Boris Johnson was seen walking his dog Dilyn as he went to cast his vote at a polling station in central London earlier today, and many voters have also brought along their pups to the polls.
Here are some of our favourite furry friends at the polling station for this year's local elections:
Hopefully not too late to join this whole #dogsatpollingstations thing and encourage you to vote with the hound's blend of cuteness and apathypic.twitter.com/6meYQTKuiy— Loz Harvey (@Loz Harvey) 1651733550
Morris was up bright and early ready to vote! Treats for the many not the few! #dogsatpollingstationspic.twitter.com/UBPxX0OPcm— Megan Clarke (@Megan Clarke) 1651735604
Nothing more to say \n\n#DogsAtPollingStations #GuideDogsAtPollingStations\n#LocalElections2022pic.twitter.com/1FfOJzZGgg— Kika \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 (@Kika \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7) 1651740674
Tilly suggests you vote. She\u2019d like a pat on the head when you do, please\n\n#dogsatpollingstationspic.twitter.com/8jCGvd1i8W— Jeremy McGee (@Jeremy McGee) 1651734759
Someone looks proud of himself @VotingDogs #DogsAtPollingStationspic.twitter.com/mIkhOZhcoq— Niamh Sweeney (@Niamh Sweeney) 1651736135
\u201cThis way to the voting booths!\u201d #dogsatpollingstationspic.twitter.com/8vp3RaKTem— Hannah Poll (@Hannah Poll) 1651732211
Woofing for democracy! #dogsatpollingstationspic.twitter.com/3XBB5U6Qfo— JadeTheDog (@JadeTheDog) 1651731007
#dogsatpollingstations in Acton, W3pic.twitter.com/JYrJRzniOQ— Parliadam (@Parliadam) 1651736693
I can finally participate in #dogsatpollingstationspic.twitter.com/etb7s7DqFU— Alice Gray (@Alice Gray) 1651735389
Always vote #dogsatpollingstationspic.twitter.com/iLJ1YPIKr8— pameliapudding (@pameliapudding) 1651736211
Hugo says\n\n\u2018Exercise your democratic right to vote today!\u2019\n\n#dogsatpollingstationspic.twitter.com/xO0tFOlH1e— Stuart Edwardson (@Stuart Edwardson) 1651740701
Mornin' #DogsAtPollingStations @VotingDogspic.twitter.com/L05AsPDLYL— Richard Parnham \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Richard Parnham \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1651735680
Hoshi\u2019s very first #dogsatpollingstations pic.twitter.com/QW7FvUiIx5— Barry\u2728\u300e\uff25\uff30\uff2f\uff23\uff28\u300f (@Barry\u2728\u300e\uff25\uff30\uff2f\uff23\uff28\u300f) 1651739892
Voted for more belly rubs, less baths and advised the politicians to make good on their promises or he\u2019d shit on their doorstep #dogsatpollingstationspic.twitter.com/e3bVfZj5oW— Sarah Poett (@Sarah Poett) 1651738156
#dogsatpollingstations Vote Collie for a better brighter future!pic.twitter.com/fsrWZAXLtH— Atlas the Collie (@Atlas the Collie) 1651741456
Keeping watch over the vote #dogsatpollingstationspic.twitter.com/lNq0E7BMxs— Matt (@Matt) 1651739344
Cirrus and Meg say: VOTE\n#dogsatpollingstationspic.twitter.com/IVQt10qhX6— Julie Cohen (@Julie Cohen) 1651740699
Detour on the morning walk! #treatgate #dogsatpollingstationspic.twitter.com/E07mm9wJFf— Nick Lowden (@Nick Lowden) 1651731743
Our dog loves voting so much he peed a little at the entrance @VotingDogs #DogsAtPollingStationspic.twitter.com/oQHJGjO3vX— Sam Magnus-Stoll (@Sam Magnus-Stoll) 1651734322
Happy #dogsatpollingstations day! If you, like me, have a postal vote and forgot to post it - it can be taken to any poll station in your voting borough today!pic.twitter.com/mX8dqjGlAE— Natalie Forrester (@Natalie Forrester) 1651731048
They're all good bois in our opinion, and there's more where they came from - to see all the participating pups check out the Twitter hashtag "#dogsatpollingstations."
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