Postal Vote Delays Spark Tensions Between Royal Mail and Government Days Before UK General Election

Royal Mail attributes postal voting delays during the general election to government actions. It is believed that numerous voters from various UK constituities have been impacted.

Political correspondent @alixculbertson

Tuesday, July 2, 2024, 1:

Royal Mail has pointed the finger at the government for the issue of voters not getting their postal ballots before the upcoming Thursday election, stating that there are no delays within its own operations.

On Tuesday morning, Tory minister Maria Caulfield informed Sky News that the government is actively looking into the reasons behind the delay in postal ballot distribution, with the election just two days away.

Reports indicate that thousands of postal votes failed to reach recipients promptly, prompting Postal Affairs Minister Kevin Hollinrake to urge Royal Mail to take all necessary measures to ensure timely delivery of postal ballots.

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According to The Telegraph, over 90 electoral districts, some of which are represented by cabinet members, have reported issues with the non-arrival of ballots.

Royal Mail has stated that it processes and delivers postal votes immediately upon their receipt within its system. Additionally, the company has requested a review of the printing and administrative processes related to postal votes prior to their distribution by Royal Mail.

A spokesperson for Royal Mail stated: "There is no current accumulation of postal votes and, though we remain vigilant, we are assured that all postal votes received in a timely manner will be delivered before the day of voting.

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"Upon receiving specific complaints, we have conducted inquiries and verified that ballot packs are distributed immediately upon their receipt within our network."

"We support conducting a thorough examination of the schedule for upcoming elections, involving all relevant parties, to guarantee that the process for producing and managing mail-in ballots prior to their delivery to Royal Mail operates efficiently."

It appears that Mr. Hollinrake has not communicated his concerns directly with Royal Mail. However, the postal service has maintained ongoing communication with the election minister and relevant authorities before and during the election period.

Before Royal Mail issued a statement, Ms Caulfield informed Sky News, "Kevin [Hollinrake] is deeply concerned about the situation. He's actively communicating with Royal Mail and is addressing the matter with urgency."

"I'm aware that additional resources are being allocated to conduct a thorough check of all the sorting facilities to ensure everything is in order."

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She noted that there are several districts where individuals have not yet received their postal voting materials.

Ms. Caulfield mentioned that individuals who are at home during this Thursday's election and have received their postal votes late can still submit them at their nearby polling station.

She expressed worry for those who are not present because the deadline to register for a proxy vote, which permits another person to vote for you, has already expired.

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Issues in Scotland

Voting issues are arising in Scotland as the start of the summer break, which began on Friday when schools closed, has led to many families leaving the country.

On Sky News, Stephen Flynn of the SNP described the situation as a "disaster," noting that his party had previously cautioned the Conservatives against scheduling the election at this time due to numerous Scottish families being away on vacation.

He expressed that it was "outrageous" how the government assured them they could vote by mail, yet their ballots didn’t arrive timely, potentially impacting the results in closely contested races.

He stated that Sunak is responsible.

25% of votes cast by mail

During the most recent national vote in 2019, 21% of voters chose to cast their ballots through mail.

The Local Government Association reports that there has been a 20% increase in the number of postal vote applications, with over 1.3 million requests submitted from May 22 to June 19.

A representative stated, "This unmatched escalation intensifies the strain on a process that is already intricate and a system that is overwhelmed."

Local governments and election workers nationwide have been making every effort to facilitate the seamless execution of this election and to ensure that citizens are able to cast their votes.

"We have received information about instances of delays occurring. It might be beneficial to reassess the postal voting system and enhance the support provided to Royal Mail and printing services to ensure they are prepared for elections."

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The final day to sign up for postal voting was June 19, and voters typically receive their ballots about a week prior to the election day.

Mail-in ballots must be received by 10 p.m. on the day of the election.

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