What is my council doing to deal with postal vote delays?

Scottish councils have been setting out the steps they are taking to deal with delays to postal votes.

There have been calls for a review of the system after voters reported they had still not received their ballots less than a week before polling day.

Councils in Edinburgh and Fife are creating an emergency voting booths for people who are going away on holiday, while some other councils are enabling residents to pick up replacement packs over the weekend.

BBC Scotland News has contacted all 32 of the country’s councils to ask if they are taking any similar steps.

Aberdeen City Council: A spokesperson said it was not putting in place similar measures to those adopted in Edinburgh and Fife.

“We are providing replacement postal votes where appropriate as we routinely do at all elections.

“The remaining postal votes from late applications were issued yesterday (Thursday) and today (Friday) and we expect these to be delivered today and on Saturday.

“Voters should contact us on Monday if they have not received their postal vote.”

Aberdeenshire Council: A spokesperson said it expected the remainder of postal voting packs to be delivered by the end of Saturday.

If a pack does not arrive this weekend, a replacement can be requested by emailing elections@aberdeenshire.gov.uk”

They said: “If voters are not able to return their vote in time, completed ballots can be handed in at polling stations on election day if necessary.”

Angus Council: The local authority said that any remaining postal votes should be delivered this weekend.

Anyone who has not received theirs by Monday in the Angus and Perthshire Glens or the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry constituency should contact elections@angus.gov.uk to ask for a replacement ballot.

Anyone who urgently required a postal vote because they were going away before Monday had been asked to email the council before 15:00 on Friday.

Argyll and Bute Council: A spokesperson said it was dealing with a number of requests for replacement ballots.

The council said it was up to date with those requests at 13:00 on Friday, and would continue to process them up until the day of the poll.

Anyone seeking a replacement postal vote can contact its customer contact centre on 01546 605522 or e-mail Elections@argyll-bute.gov.uk

Clackmannanshire Council: No reply

Dumfries and Galloway Council: A spokesperson said people who have yet to receive a postal vote pack and will not be at home next week should contact elections@dumgal.gov.uk or call a helpline on 01387 260008. The helpline will be staffed 09:00-15:00 on Saturday and Sunday.

The council said a small number of people who have not received their postal voting pack and will not be home next week have already been in touch with the council. They are being reissued with a voting pack.

Dundee City Council: A Dundee City Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of delays in delivery by Royal Mail.

“We would advise voters to return their postal vote as soon as possible. This would be through either: Royal Mail, our customer services team who will be available at City Square, Box Office between 9am and 5pm Monday 1 July to Wednesday 3 July, or a Polling station on polling day (Thursday 4 July) up to 10pm.

“Remember, you can only hand in your own postal vote, and the postal votes of up to five other people.

“When handing in your postal vote at the Box Office or to a polling station you will be asked to complete a form which we will provide.

“Our staff will help you with this. You will need to include your name and address, how many postal votes you are handing in and why you are handing in those postal votes.

“Do not post your ballot paper through any Dundee City Council letter box, it will be rejected.”

East Ayrshire Council: A spokesperson said its postal votes were dispatched on Friday with delivery scheduled on Saturday.

“The council has been working with all relevant parties to ensure that this matter is resolved as quickly and effective as possible,” they added.

“Priority for re-issuing voting packs will be given to those from first issue and those going away on holiday today [Friday] or tomorrow.

“The council will apply resources as appropriate in order to ensure, so far as possible, that no-one misses out on the opportunity to vote.”

East Dunbartonshire Council: Ann Davie, the returning office for the Mid Dunbartonshire County constituency, said arrangements were in place to deal with late and replacement postal vote packs.

“These arrangements will ensure that postal vote packs will be delivered to those voters whose packs have not yet been issued due to either late registration, or where voters have contacted the council advising that they are leaving the country imminently and have not yet received their postal vote,” she added.

“Similar arrangements will be in place next week – up to 17:00 on polling day – to support those voters who do not receive their postal vote pack.

“Anyone in this position should contact us by email at election@eastdunbarton.gov.uk ”

East Lothian Council: A spokesperson said that any remaining papers in the Lothian East constituency were expected to arrive with residents by the weekend.

“If a resident is going away this weekend but hasn’t yet received their postal vote, they can contact us first to arrange a replacement.

“It would need to be collected from Meadowmill by 18:00 on Friday.

“Otherwise, if they don’t receive their postal vote over the weekend, they can contact us on Monday.”

Contact details for the elections office are available on the council’s website.

East Renfrewshire Council: A spokesperson said replacement postal voting packs would be delivered over the weekend to those who have already been in touch.

People will be able to request a replacement pack by phone or email over the weekend if they do not receive one by the Saturday post.

“We’re prioritising those who will not be at home next week. If you will be at home next week, please wait for delivery and only contact us early next week if you are still without your pack,” the spokesperson said.

People who are going on holiday on Sunday or Monday should call before 15:00 on Saturday to arrange to collect a postal vote pack from council headquarters in Giffnock, where it can be completed there and then.

“Please contact electionoffice@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk in the first instance or call the helpline on 0141 577 3033, which will be staffed 09:00-16:00 on both Saturday and Sunday. We will have staff working over the weekend to deal with these enquiries and we will be doing deliveries across the weekend and into Monday,” the spokesperson added.

Edinburgh City Council: From Friday voters who have not yet received their postal votes and will not be at home next week can go to the City Chambers and have their voting pack re-issued.

A voting booth will be set up for those wishing to cast their vote there and then in privacy.

It will be open from 17:00 on Friday, and from 09:00 – 17:00 on Saturday and Sunday. Voters should bring photographic identification.

People who are at home next wek should continue to wait for for the delivery of their postal vote pack, and contact the council early next week if it has not arrived.

They asked that people contact elections@edinburgh.gov.uk in the first instance or call the helpline on 0131 200 2315.

Falkirk Council: The council said it is expecting remaining postal packs to be delivered by Saturday.

For anyone still without a pack, there is an option to have a new one issued in person at the council’s offices.

Staff from the postal vote team will be available from 09:00 to 12:00 on Saturday at The Foundry in Larbert “to assist voters” with the situation.

Voters should bring identification that includes their address.

Fife Council: The local authority is opening Fife House in Glenrothes on Saturday as an emergency measure.

People who have yet to receive their postal votes and will not be at home next week can go to there to have their voting pack reissued or hand them in.

A private booth will be set up for those wishing to complete their postal vote there and then.

“To be clear this is not a polling station,” a spokesperson said. “Voters can complete their postal vote in private and then put it into the nearest Royal Mail postbox.”

It will be open between 09:00-16:00 and voters will need to bring photographic identification.

People who are at home next week should wait for delivery and contact the council only if they are still without a voting pack early next week.

Glasgow City Council: The local authority says it has no plans for emergency voting booths similar to Edinburgh and Fife.

It said if a pack has not arrived by Monday it would issue a replacement. It can arrange for replacements be collected from our election office or posted first class.

A spokesman said they had “endeavoured to offer a replacement ballot” to any voters going away on holiday this weekend who had not already received their voting pack.

Highland Council: Offices are open in Inverness and Dingwall on Friday to hand in postal votes. Both premises will also be open from 09:00-17:00 on Saturday and Sunday, and from Monday to Wednesday next week.

A spokesperson added that anyone with a postal votal can also hand them in to any polling station on election day.

Inverclyde Council: A spokesperson said that all postal ballot packs, apart from the most recent applications, should now been delivered.

A replacement for any undelivered or lost postal votes can be collected from the council’s customer service centre in the Municipal Buildings, Greenock. An appointment can be made by calling 01475 712126 or emailing elections@inverclyde.gov.uk.

People will need to produce appropriate photo identification to allow the pack to be issued.

Postal votes can be handed in to the customer service centre during office hours until Thursday 4 July, or at any polling station in the constituency between 07:00 and 22:00 on Thursday.

Midlothian Council: A spokesman said its elections team had ensured that all postal packs had been sent out, and that replacement postal votes had been issued to everyone who said they had not received their packs.

Moray Council: The local authority is asking any resident who has not yet received their postal vote pack, and will not be at home next week, to contact its election team directly. It will then organise for the voting pack to be re-issued.

North Ayrshire Council: The local authority expects those who registered for a postal vote after 10 June will receive their packs on Friday or Saturday.

If they are not received in Monday’s mail, voters should contact the election office on 01294 324729 to enable the council to issue a replacement.

“We are keeping in contact with Royal Mail to ensure that any issues are resolved,” a spokesperson added.

North Lanarkshire Council: The council said it was aware of “a small number of postal voters” concerned about not having received their pack.

A spokesperson said: “We are able to issue replacement ballot packs for people who are concerned that they have not yet received their postal vote.

“If necessary, we can arrange for anyone who is going on holiday in the next few days to come to the council headquarters this weekend to be given their replacement pack.

“However, it is essential that anyone in this position contacts the election office by telephone on 01698 302058.”

Orkney Islands Council: The returning officer for Orkney and Shetland, Oliver Reid, said a small number of people were still waiting to receive their voting packs.

“If any of these postal voters have not received their postal vote pack by Monday 1 July, they should contact the local elections office,” he said.

“Lost or undelivered postal votes can be replaced by the Returning Officer – with replacement packs available from 1 July.

“Voters can attend the council offices in Kirkwall and Lerwick with ID for a pack to be reissued.”

He encouraged everyone with a postal vote to complete and return it as soon as possible.

Perth and Kinross Council: Thomas Glen, the returning officer for the Perth and Kinross-shire constituency, said they had been liaising with Royal Mail and understood that postal voting packs should be delivered no later than this weekend.

“Where we have been approached by voters due to be on holiday before this weekend, replacement voting packs have been issued,” he added.

“As previously advised, any resident who has applied for a postal vote for the Perth and Kinross-shire constituency and has not received a pack by Monday 1 July 2024 should contact elections@pkc.gov.uk.”

Renfrewshire Council: The local authority says it is not experiencing issues with postal votes.

It said the vast majority were handed to Royal Mail on 18 and 19 June, and the remainder were handed over on 24 June.

Anyone who has lost, spoiled or has not received their postal vote can visit Renfrewshire House in Paisley with photographic ID from Friday 28 June to have a ballot reissued.

Scottish Borders Council: An emergency drop-in facility will be open on Saturday and Sunday to allow people to pick up a postal voting pack in person.

Voters should go to the council headquarters in Newton St Boswells with photographic identification between 09:00 and 14:00 on Saturday or Sunday.

David Robertson, returning officer for the Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk County constituency, added: “Your vote pack may still be in the post and be delivered next week. Please only attend if you have not yet received your postal vote and you will not be at home next week to receive it.

“If you already have your postal vote, please return it as soon as possible through the Royal Mail.”

Shetland Islands Council: The returning officer for Orkney and Shetland, Oliver Reid, said a small number of people were still waiting to receive their voting packs.

“If any of these postal voters have not received their postal vote pack by Monday 1 July, they should contact the local elections office,” he said.

“Lost or undelivered postal votes can be replaced by the Returning Officer – with replacement packs available from 1 July.

“Voters can attend the council offices in Kirkwall and Lerwick with ID for a pack to be reissued.”

He encouraged everyone with a postal vote to complete and return it as soon as possible.

South Ayrshire Council: A spokesperson said people who applied for a postal vote between 10 and 19 June should receive their packs on Saturday.

If they do not receive one, they should contact the election office on 01292 612300 on Monday and a replacement postal vote will be issued.

“If postal voters still require an earlier replacement (e.g they are leaving for holiday before their postal vote is due to arrive), they should contact us immediately in order that they can be issued with a replacement,” the spokesperson added.

“The Royal Mail will use their best endeavours to prioritise returning postal votes to returning officers, and those in receipt of a postal vote should complete and return it immediately.”

South Lanarkshire Council: A spokesperson said the second batch of postal votes went out on Thursday.

“We have 48,181 eligible postal voters across the three constituencies we are responsible for, which is higher than previously,” they added.

“All voters in our constituencies who requested a postal vote before the deadline for doing so will receive one.

“Lost or undelivered postal votes can be replaced by the returning officer from 28 June.

“That is the first legal point at which a replacement can be made. Voters can attend at the council headquarters in Almada Street, Hamilton, with ID for a pack to be reissued.”

Stirling Council: The number of requests for replacement postal votes is relatively small.

The council will not be opening its offices this weekend.

It will continue to issue replacement postal votes, when requested, during office hours in the run up to 4 July.

West Dunbartonshire Council: No reply

West Lothian Council: Most people should already have their postal votes, with the remaining papers expected to arrive with residents by the weekend.

Anyone who has not received a postal vote should contact the elections office on 01506 282035 between 9am and 5pm. The iffice is closed Saturday and Sunday.

The counsil said its team could issue replacement postal votes from Friday until 5pm on Wednesday 3 July.

Voters will be asked to collect their replacement postal vote from the Civic Centre in Livingston, but can also ask for it to be posted out.

Western Isles Council: The council has been told by Royal Mail that the second issue of postal ballot packs will be delivered in Lewis and Harris on Friday.

The Uist postal ballot packs were delivered to the Uist Sorting Office by the mail plane on Friday morning and should be out for delivery on either Friday or Saturday. The Barra postal ballot packs will be delivered on Saturday.

Anyone who does not receive a postal vote can contact the election team by email at elections@cne-siar.gov.uk. It will offer advice and, where necessary, issue replacement postal ballot packs.