Pencils for voting

Producer Hatty Nash jumped in at the end of the Today Podcast (21 June 2024) to answer the question of why we use pencils to mark ballot papers in the UK.

Ink pens might blot when you fold the ballot paper, potentially invalidating your vote if it looks like you’ve marked two candidates.

Also: Ink pens can run out, pencils are cheaper, and there’s no legal requirement to use a pencil, so bring a pen if you want to.  Elsewhere: The Electoral Commission aren’t worried that pencil marks can be erased, according to WhatDoTheyKnow.