Yahoo News General election 2024: what do you do if you haven't received your postal vote?
Somerset voters who have not yet received their postal vote are being urged to contact their local authority to secure a replacement pack. Voters will go to the polls on Thursday (July 4) to choose who will form the next government and who will represent them in the House of Commons for the next five years.
Numerous Somerset residents had applied for a postal vote, allowing them to vote in advance of polling day in light of a pre-booked holiday, work commitments, a physical infirmity which prevents them from travelling to their local polling station, or other factors. But reports have surfaced across the county of postal votes not arriving on time, with the delays being blamed on the short notice of the election and a delivery backlog at Royal Mail.
Somerset Council is now urging affected residents to get in touch as soon as possible to arrange a replacement pack, which can be collected from any council office. Leigh Redman, the Labour candidate for the Bridgwater constituency, said numerous local residents had expressed concerns about their ballots not arriving before they left on holidays booked before the election.
READ MORE: General election 2024: What time will the Somerset results come in?
He said: "I have been in contact with a number of residents who applied for postal ballots, due to the short notice election announcement and in advance of pre-booked holidays, but now due to late despatch of their ballots, will miss out on the chance to vote in this important election. This is a great concern for me, as voters will miss out on voting despite following due process.
"Given that we have had a six-week election campaign, it is very worrying that there has been such a delay in the dispatch of postal votes. It is unacceptable that the last batch of postal ballots were so delayed, as they now appear to be caught in a Royal Mail backlog and there is a real chance that a number of residents in the new constituency will be deprived of a chance to vote in a hugely important election."
The council said that Royal Mail's capacity had been stretched by prime minister Rishi Sunak choosing to call an election for July 4, rather than waiting until the autumn as many had predicted. A spokesman said: "Due to the short notice for the general election, specialist election printers and Royal Mail have been working at capacity to print and deliver an anticipated 10 million postal votes across the UK.
"It’s a complicated process, with personalised postal vote statements matched with the correct ballot paper. There is also a need to produce personalised envelopes and instruction sheets.
"We also need to carry out crucial security checks which add to the time needed to prepare and send votes out. Postal votes for overseas electors have early priority because of the extra time it takes for international mail to be delivered and returned."
Anyone who has not received their postal vote pack can still vote in the general election - but they must contact the council for a replacement pack up until 5pm on polling day. Anyone requesting a replacement pack will be asked to provide proof of identity (such as a passport or driver's licence).
A spokesman said: "For replacement requests made before 5pm on Wednesday (July 3), these can be delivered or collected from the appropriate council office. By law, any replacement requests made between 5pm on Wednesday (July 3) and 5pm on Thursday (July 4) must be made in person with accepted proof of identity.
"We will then issue your postal vote pack to you in person and you can return it straight away." Any postal vote pack can be handed it at your local polling station if the need arises.
To request a replacement postal vote pack, contact Somerset Council via the following means:
Bridgwater
Phone: 0300 123 2224
Email: electionsnorth@somerset.gov.uk
Address: Council Offices, Bridgwater House, King Square, Bridgwater, TA6 3AR
Frome and East Somerset
Phone: 0300 123 2224
Email: electionseast@somerset.gov.uk
Address: Council Offices, Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5BT
Glastonbury and Somerton
Phone: 0300 123 2224
Email: electionssouth@somerset.gov.uk
Address: Council Offices, Brympton Way, Yeovil, BA20 2HT
Taunton and Wellington
Phone: 0300 123 2224
Email: electionswest@somerset.gov.uk
Address: West Somerset House, Killick Way, Williton, TA4 4QA
Tiverton and Minehead
Phone: 0300 123 2224
Email: electionswest@somerset.gov.uk
Address: West Somerset House, Killick Way, Williton, TA4 4QA
Wells and Mendip Hills
Phone: 0300 123 2224
Email: electionseast@somerset.gov.uk
Address: Council Offices, Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5BT
Yeovil
Phone: 0300 123 2224
Email: electionssouth@somerset.gov.uk
Address: Council Offices, Brympton Way, Yeovil, BA20 2HT
