Concerns are rising that late delivery of postal votes may effectively deny many people the chance to vote in next week’s election.
A thousand extra people in the Western Isles applied for a postal ballot slip for this occasion, though to be partly because the election coincides with the time families head off on holidays as island schools have already broken up for the summer break.
Schools closed yesterday and people with pre-booked holidays and ferries are travelling
away, meaning some will not be at home when delayed voting slips show up.
Islanders have made a “high number” of calls to the Western Isles election team querying why their voting papers have not arrived.
Malcolm Burr, the chief executive and returning officer at Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, is the convener of the Electoral Management Board for Scotland (EMB) .
Mr Burr said “many difficulties” have been experienced with the delivery of postal votes at this election.
He highlighted issues with both suppliers and with Royal Mail across Scotland which the “electoral community are dealing with as best we can.”
Postal voting is now a major element of every election with over 25% of the electorate choosing to vote in this way.
Over 6,300 people in the Western Isles are postal voters in this election with roughly
around 21,000 registered voters in the constituency - a higher percentage than the
Scottish average.
Around an extra 1,000 islanders have a postal vote on this occasion compared to the previous election.
Across Scotland, about a quarter of the eligible population sought to vote by post while the Western Isles figure is nearly a third.
For postal voting to be a viable option, returning officers must “rely on print suppliers and a predictable and reliable service from Royal Mail,” said Mr Burr.
He pointed out the legal and logistical timetable for this election is “very tight, exacerbated in Scotland by the holiday period commencing in many areas at the end of this week.”
“The EMB believes that there is a need for a major review of capacity and systems after the election.
“That view is shared across the electoral community.
“We are very much aware that some electors remain without a postal ballot at this point and we are working with returning officers, suppliers and Royal Mail to expedite delivery as quickly as possible.”
Call for major review after fears many people may miss their chance to vote
28 June 2024
