The failure of general election postal vote packs arriving in good time to a large number of electors has sparked concerns.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar says it has received a “high number of calls” from worried voters over the issue.
Many postal slips have yet to arrive.
The council said delays were caused by “national disruption” but did not explain if the fault lay with ballot paper printing issues, mail delivery problems or any other situation.
The disruption clashes with the start of the school summer break which will see an exodus of residents heading off the island on holiday from today.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar said the delayed packs should be coming through letter boxes by the end of this week.
Malcolm Burr, returning officer for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, said the delay in the distribution
of postal voting packs in the Western Isles and other areas of Scotland has already
caused “significant concern amongst the public with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s election
team receiving a high number of calls.”
He added: “Voters rightly expect to receive their postal voting packs on the agreed date and make plans accordingly.
“It is vitally important that lessons are learned at national level from these delays and we do not see similar disruption in the future.”
Information on the comhairle’s website says postal ballots would be issued yesterday (Wednesday).
The comhairle’s election team said postal voting packs are “in the post” for people who applied by 7 June.
If you applied for a postal vote between 8 and 19 June it will be sent out by the end of the week.
‘Significant concern’ as voters anxious over delayed postal ballot slips
27 June 2024