Rugbeians urged to make postal votes count as new rules come into force

POSTAL voters intending to take part in Rugby’s local elections next month have been urged to make their votes count by sticking to new rules.

Rugby Borough Council has launched the ‘Are You Election Ready?’ campaign to raise awareness of the changes, which come into force for the first time at the elections on Thursday May 2.

The new rules mean postal voters must now complete and sign a return form when hand-delivering a vote at a polling station or the Town Hall – otherwise their votes will be rejected.

And voters are now only allowed to hand-deliver up to six postal votes – including their own.

The town’s Returning Officer Aftab Razzaq encouraged electors to return postal votes via the Royal Mail in the pre-paid envelope included with the ballot papers – and urged them post votes in plenty of time before polling day.

He said: “Sending your postal vote through the Royal Mail removes the requirement to sign a return form, so it’s the quickest and easiest way to make sure your vote counts at the elections.

“We have put up signage at the Town Hall to advise postal voters of the new rules, together with warning stickers on our letter boxes to deter electors from hand-delivering postal votes.

“However, if we receive hand-delivered postal votes without a signed return form, the new rules mean we cannot inform electors of the reason for rejecting their votes until after the election.”

Residents who want to hand-deliver postal votes can complete and sign a return form at the Town Hall reception from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Return forms can also be completed and signed at polling stations on election day.

— Applications to vote by post vote at next month’s elections must be submitted by 5pm on Wednesday (April 17). —

A number of changes to voting by proxy and voting from overseas have also been introduced.

And voters who want to vote at a polling station have been reminded of the need to produce a valid form of photo ID in order to receive a ballot paper – a change first introduced at last year’s local elections.

Visit www.rugby.gov.uk/electionready for more information about the new rules, how to apply for postal votes, proxy votes or a free Voter Authority Certificate photo ID.

Elections for Rugby Borough Council, the Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner and a number of the borough’s parish councils take place on Thursday May 2.