Back in October, Chris Howell, Conservative councillor for Coleridge ward on Cambridge Council, proposed the following motion at a council meeting:
"This Council believes that the interests of democracy and the country are best served if the result of a general election is confirmed as soon as possible after the close of polls. It therefore strongly supports general election counts being conducted on election night immediately following the close of polls, and requests that the returning officer takes note of this opinion."
It was passed by the council and Chris now reports on his blog that the council chief executive and returning officer for Cambridge at the General Election, Antoinette Jackson, has sent him the following letter:
"As Returning Officer I have now had a chance to review the arrangements for election counts with the Democratic Services Manager and electoral services staff and have undertaken a risk assessment of the risks inherent in a Thursday night count, particularly for a combined election.
"I can confirm that we will go ahead with a parliamentary count on the Thursday night as in previous years."
Excellent news - congratulations to Chris and indeed the councillors from other parties in the city for making their views known and ensuring that General Election Night has been saved in Cambridge.
If you have been involved in a successful campaign to Save General Election Night in your area, please let me know; and if your local returning officer is to yet to pronounce on the issue, please keep the pressure up!
Jonathan Isaby