Scottish Borders Council makes ‘unprecedented move’ amid concerns over delayed arrival of postal votes

Voters can cast their ballot this weekend

People in the Borders who have requested, and not yet received, a postal vote ahead of next week’s General Election are being invited to pick up a pack from council headquarters in Newtown St Boswells over the weekend.

The local authority is opening its doors amid concerns some ballots could arrive too late for many voters heading off on holiday, now that schools have broken up for the summer.

David Robertson, Returning Officer for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk County Constituency, said: “I want to assure everyone we will do everything we can to make sure people in the Borders are given their democratic rights to vote in the General Election on July the 4th.

“We’re aware this is a national problem, but we need to take action locally. We are putting in extra resource over the weekend to help deal with the situation.”

Scottish Borders Council’s HQ will be open on Saturday and Sunday, June 29th and 30th, from 9am to 2pm to allow anyone affected to pick up a postal pack. But voters are being reminded to bring photographic identification.

Similar action’s also been taken in Edinburgh and Fife.

Mr Robertson 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.”

The Association of Electoral Administrators believes it is unprecedented for a returning officer to have to invite postal voters to have replacement packs issued to them.

It said postal votes are expected to top 10 million at this General Election, a 20% rise from 2019, and up from just 937,000 in 1997.

Chief executive Peter Stanyon said: “Unfortunately for voters, returning officers and their teams, the volume of postal vote applications appears to have overloaded the system. We’ve warned for years this could happen as volumes have continued to grow while supplier capacity remains the same.

“We will continue to call for electoral law changes that mean postal votes can be sent out earlier, and Returning Officers are given more ability to help postal voters.”

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