Woman unable to vote by proxy in Bath after council ‘mess up’

A woman has been unable to vote by proxy in Bath due to a mix up by Bath and North East Somerset Council.

Julia Aufenast, who lives in Hong Kong, arranged for her brother James Aufenast to vote for her in Bath and North East Somerset.

Mr Aufenast was supposed to be submitting a proxy postal vote to Bath from his home in North London but did not receive the voting forms in time.

He said: “My sister lived in Bath for many years and wanted to cast her vote in this very important election, she has been left very troubled and upset that she can’t vote.

“Bath and North East Somerset Council failed to send me the voting forms.

“When I noticed they hadn’t come through a few days ago I tried to contact the council and eventually got through to be told that they had been getting lots of calls from electors who hadn’t got their postal vote pack.

“The council has messed up and it’s really upsetting to think I can’t now vote for my sister.”

Mr Aufenast said in a tweet: “Requested a voting form by proxy for my sister who lives abroad. None arrived. Chased up two days ago, was promised it would be sent out first class. This didn’t arrive either. Democracy not in action.”

Julia Aufenast moved out to Hong Kong because of her husbands job and told her brother that the more she thought about it, the more troubled she is, over the fact she has been denied her vote.

James said that the council said in response to his query: “We have received a lot of calls from electors that have not received poll cars and postal votes.

“It’s a combination of a national election and the Christmas post that have created a Royal Mail fisasco.”

Bath and North East Somerset Council have been approached for comment.

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