Call for major review of postal votes after delays to system

The Electoral Management Board in Scotland and the Association of Electoral Administrators have called for a “major” review of the postal vote system. 

The call follows concerns about a high number of voters being unable to cast their ballots in Scotland after not receiving their postal votes on time. 

The timing of this election falls in the first week of the Scottish school holidays, meaning some families have already left the country. 

Malcolm Burr, convener of the Electoral Management Board for Scotland (EMB) said: “The EMB believes that there is a need for a major review of capacity and systems after the election. That view is shared across the electoral community.” 

The Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA) said in an official statement: “The current postal voting system needs review and improvement.  

“As outlined in our 2021 Blueprint for a Modern Electoral Landscape, we believe earlier deadlines for absent voting applications would better meet electors’ needs, including those living overseas.” 

The process to print postal votes can be complicated and lengthy. Postal vote statements have to be matched with the correct ballot paper, personalised envelopes and instruction sheets. Election teams then need to carry out the necessary security checks to prepare and send ballot papers.  

More than 1.3 million postal vote applications were made between 22 May and 19 June. The AEA anticipates the number of postal votes will top 10 million in the 2024 election, a 20 per cent increase from the 2019 general election.  

The EMB said the tight deadlines involved had this year been “exacerbated” in Scotland due to the timing of the election. 

Councils across Scotland have been taking emergency measures to mitigate the delay in postal votes.  

Edinburgh and Fife councils opened emergency voting booths for people who are leaving early and not yet received their postal vote. Fife House in Glenrothes was opened on Saturday and voters in Edinburgh have been able cast their vote or have their pack re-issued at the City Chambers from Friday. 

Glasgow City Council has sought to reassure constituents that their postal vote would begin to arrive on 28 Friday. If a constituent had not received their postal vote by Monday 1 July, the council would issue an emergency replacement.  

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: “We have around 80,000 postals. With those kind of numbers, some packs will always go missing – it happens at every election. 

“Friday was the first day we are legally allowed to issue replacements and that is what we have been doing – including in some cases where postal packs were not overdue, but people had travel issues.  

“As with any election, people can choose to have a replacement posted, or they can come in and collect. I need to stress that is not a polling station – nobody is casting an in-person vote – and not an emergency measure.” 

Scottish Borders Council opened drop-in facilities on Monday, allowing postal voters to pick up replacement postal vote packs in person or hand in completed votes.   

Despite some councils blaming the delays on the postal system, Royal Mail said the issue was not due to a backlog within their system.  

Speaking to Holyrood, a Royal Mail spokesperson said: “We have no backlog of postal votes in our network at any of our offices in Scotland. We understand there have been issues associated with the printing of ballot packs that has delayed them being handed over to us for delivery.  

“We are delivering ballot packs as soon as they arrive in our network. We are working with all local authorities to get postal votes to voters as quickly as possible.”  

SNP leader John Swinney has expressed his concern that people around Scotland were being disenfranchised, adding it was “deeply unacceptable”.  

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland on Friday, Swinney said: “The day the prime minister called the election I expressed my concern this election was going to take place during the Scottish school summer holidays, and various people criticised me for making that comment.  

“I just think it is a deeply unacceptable situation that people will be disenfranchised because the calling of the election has been done at a time which is quite inconvenient for a lot of people, lots of schools in Scotland are already on their holidays.” 

A Scottish Conservative spokesperson said: “It’s right that councils take all steps necessary – including, if required, emergency drop-in centres – to ensure as many postal voters as possible have their say.  

“It is unacceptable that anyone is denied the right to vote through no fault of their own.” 

Completed postal votes must reach councils by 10pm on 4 July. They can be handed in to polling stations.