A 14-YEAR-old schoolgirl from Verwood in East Dorset has been sent a polling card to vote in the general election on May 6.

Lauren Noding, who attends Queen Elizabeth’s School in Wimborne, also received a polling card for last year’s local elections when she was 13.

Her grandmother Carole Noding said: “We phoned and told the council about it, and when we went to the polling station, we complained about it. We fill out a form every year, so they ought to know she’s under age.

“The point is that we told them in June last year and nothing has been done about it. You wonder how many times this is happening and how many people are using that vote.”

Lauren’s mother Jenny Noding said: “The last time she had a card, they said it was an administrative error and it wouldn’t happen again. It’s wrong for a lot of reasons. It means you can’t really trust the voting system.”

Lauren, who is interested in taking up a career in politics, said: “I would like to vote, but I’m not at all tempted to use the card.

“If the law says under-18s can’t vote, that’s how it should be.”