Election administrators share concern over potential for postal vote problems at upcoming elections

The Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA) has warned of potential postal vote problems ahead of the next general election, after Royal Mail failed to deliver a number of postal votes in time for May’s local elections.

More than 1,400 postal votes to Brighton & Hove City Council were not counted after Royal Mail failed to deliver them on time.

Polling stations closed at 10pm on 4 May, bringing to an end the time people could vote. Royal Mail delivered 1,423 postal ballots at 8am the following morning.

Speaking to the Local Government Chronice (LGC), Laura Lock, Deputy Chief Executive of the Association of the Electoral Administrators, said she was concerned there could be similar issues ahead of the next general election, which could see many more ballots cast by post when eligibility of overseas voters is extended.

Parliament passed the Election Act 2022 in April of last year, giving the Government powers to implement rules requiring voters to present identification cards before voting.

The second tranche of changes from the Act will be implemented over the course of 2023 and 2024 and include extending votes at the general election to all British citizens living overseas.

Postal ballot packs will be sent overseas to be completed by electors before they are returned.

Lock told LGC: “We are concerned about the potential for postal vote problems at upcoming elections. […] We are worried about Royal Mail’s ability to do the volumes of it because it's not just postal votes they will have to do ahead of an election, it’s poll cards, all of the candidate mailing and if we have a snap parliamentary election they’ve got 25 working days to do everything. That's a very short time period for them.”

In June, the AEA recommended an extended 30-day electoral timetable, including for UK Parliamentary general elections, “to reduce risk and increase capacity”. It also called for earlier deadlines for absent voting applications “to meet voters’ needs, including those living overseas”.

This followed a review which found that several areas reported that “significant” numbers of electors did not receive their postal vote.

This resulted in large numbers needing to be reissued, including one case where a Returning Officer (RO) had to reissue 2,300 undelivered postal votes.

Royal Mail and the Department for Levelling Up Housing & Communities have been approached for comment.

Lottie Winson