Royal Mail says no delays with local postal votes

To be counted completed postal votes must arrive by 10pm tomorrow

Royal Mail says there is no delay locally delivering postal votes for Thursday’s General Election.  

Fears had been expressed that people’s votes might be stuck in the system, but the company says there is no backlog at the Banbury delivery office and all postal votes that enter their network are being delivered as soon as they arrive.

A Royal Mail spokesperson told Banbury FM: “There are a number of steps within the supply chain that covers the production and distribution of postal votes, of which Royal Mail are one.

“[For example,] ballots need to be sent to a mail house for printing and then dispatched to us or another mail provider.   This is the most common process councils use.   Delays in this process can lead to ballots entering our network later than they should.”

Issues with the delivery of postal votes have been reported in other parts of the country.

Cherwell District Council says they can reissue any postal votes which haven’t arrived.   Doing so would cancel the existing postal vote, meaning if it did turn up it would no longer be valid.  Anyone needing a replacement postal vote can collect it from Bodicote House during office hours up to 5pm tomorrow (Thursday).

Those who haven’t yet sent back their postal vote who are worried it might not arrive in time can hand it in at a polling station, but they will need to complete a form when doing so.

In order to be counted completed postal votes must have arrived back by 10pm tomorrow.

Further guidance is available on the council’s website.