Voters urged to make sure their postal vote counts

Voters are being reminded of changes to the way that postal votes are handled.

Postal vote packs are landing on the doormats of voters across Cumbria ahead of elections on 2 May.

On this date electors across the county will be electing their next Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC). There are also some local elections in the Westmorland and Furness area.

When their pack arrives, postal voters are advised to read the information contained within it carefully to ensure their vote is counted.

All postal votes must be returned by 10pm on 2 May for it to count. Therefore, voters are encouraged to post their vote back in good time using the Royal Mail envelope provided to ensure their vote is received ahead of the deadline.

Anyone who finds they have not left have enough time to use the postal service can hand their postal vote in at their local polling station. Changes to the law means that any postal vote handed in at a polling station must now be formally recorded on a postal vote return form, or the vote will be rejected.

These changes also mean that electors must not deliver their postal vote through the letter boxes at council offices, or hand deliver to a member of staff without getting a postal vote return form completed. To do so would mean the vote being rejected.

In addition, there are now limits on the number of postal votes that can be handed in by one person. You can now only hand-in your own postal vote and the votes of up to five additional people. A postal vote return form must also be completed.

Andrew Seekings, Electoral Registration Officer for Cumberland Council and the Police Area Returning Officer for Cumbria, said: "Postal votes are popular with many voters, especially those who find they cannot make it to the polling station on the day of the election. When your postal vote pack arrives do read the instructions carefully to ensure you complete it correctly.

"The easiest way to return your postal vote is by using the Royal Mail pre-paid envelope provided within your pack. If you have left it too late to do this, or you wish to hand it in at our offices, please do make sure a postal vote return form is completed, or your vote will have to be rejected."

The deadline for new applications for postal votes for the elections on 2 May was 5pm on 17 April. Voters who have missed that deadline and cannot make it to a polling station on the day of the election do have until 5pm on 24 April to apply for a proxy vote.

More information on the Cumbria PFCC elections can be found on the Cumberland Council website.

Postal votes issued by Cumberland Council can be hand delivered to the following Cumberland Council offices: Civic Centre in Carlisle, Allerdale House in Workington and Market Hall in Whitehaven. Those issued by Westmorland and Furness Council can be hand delivered to Barrow Town Hall, Kendal Town Hall or Penrith Town Hall. A postal vote return form must be completed.

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