What happened to our votes?

EXPATS have added their voices to those of voters in Britain unable to cast ballots due to poor organisation in some constituencies during the General Election.

Reader Nicholas Inman said: “When a significant number of eligible people are unable to vote we cannot call Britain a democracy governed by universal suffrage.

“I trust those affected will campaign for radical changes.”

While some ballots came in time many readers reported problems. Errors by councils’ returning officers have been blamed for many of them.

A spokesman for the Electoral Commission, which oversees the process, said authorities were advised to use the correct postage when sending letters abroad and to accept ballots returned in different envelopes than those provided.

The council should use the full address provided by the voter. He added: “Ballots are usually sent in batches. If someone has been registered a long time the council may prepare their ballot pack quicker than if they register close to deadline.

“Generally if people applied at the same time they will be sent ballots around the same time. Big differences may be down to the postal services.”

The commission advises councils to warn overseas voters they may prefer to use a proxy – advice echoed by Connexion.

However, the spokesman said late arrival of postal ballots was sometimes a problem with UK-based voters as well, depending on the number of applicants and the pressure on the returning officer.
“The electoral timetable is tight, we’ve said for years the government should look at it,” he said.

He added that councils had no obligation to use pre-paid postage envelopes for foreign voters (which are not valid abroad), however they would have to weigh up whether it was cost-effective to organise different ballot packs for a small number of overseas voters. The cost of wasted envelopes would be borne by the Justice Ministry, who refund expenses.

Information as to how many postal votes were sent out and how many succeeded would not be available until July, he said.

A government spokeswoman said it was not known whether the proposed new fixed-term parliaments might help get ballots out faster. Expats had no vote before 1985 and postal ones (introduced in 2000) gave extra choice, she said, but people must decide if it is suitable.

To complain about a late or non-existent ballot you should contact your constituency’s electoral registration office, the Electoral Commission, the British Embassy, Paris, or civil rights group Liberty www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk