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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Voting concerns as papers delayed | Voting concerns as papers delayed |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Postal voters at home and abroad fear they may have lost the chance to vote in the Scottish elections because of a delay in delivering ballot papers. | Postal voters at home and abroad fear they may have lost the chance to vote in the Scottish elections because of a delay in delivering ballot papers. |
| Production and distribution problems have been blamed, with forms failing to arrive at homes. | Production and distribution problems have been blamed, with forms failing to arrive at homes. |
| The problem has been highlighted in areas including Aberdeenshire, with people anxious about Thursday's vote. | The problem has been highlighted in areas including Aberdeenshire, with people anxious about Thursday's vote. |
| Councils said anyone worried about not receiving their papers should get in touch with them as soon as possible. | Councils said anyone worried about not receiving their papers should get in touch with them as soon as possible. |
| Comments sent to BBC Scotland's news website from voters living abroad include: "I am living in Belgium at the moment, and applied well before the deadline for my postal vote. | Comments sent to BBC Scotland's news website from voters living abroad include: "I am living in Belgium at the moment, and applied well before the deadline for my postal vote. |
| "The elections are on Thursday and I have not yet received my postal ballot. My vote is lost. | "The elections are on Thursday and I have not yet received my postal ballot. My vote is lost. |
| "Clearly there is not a good enough machinery in place to allow those overseas to vote by post. It is unacceptable that I should be effectively barred from voting by post simply because I live overseas." | "Clearly there is not a good enough machinery in place to allow those overseas to vote by post. It is unacceptable that I should be effectively barred from voting by post simply because I live overseas." |
| Print run | Print run |
| Another voter, from Kingswells, said: "Somewhere along the line there is gross incompetence because it's totally unacceptable. | Another voter, from Kingswells, said: "Somewhere along the line there is gross incompetence because it's totally unacceptable. |
| "Where does all the blame lie? This must be sorted out." | "Where does all the blame lie? This must be sorted out." |
| Ballot paper producers DRS admitted an increase in demand for postal ballots had put pressure on its print run. | Ballot paper producers DRS admitted an increase in demand for postal ballots had put pressure on its print run. |
| It is understood the print run was completed last week and DRS said it was not responsible for distribution. | It is understood the print run was completed last week and DRS said it was not responsible for distribution. |
| The Royal Mail said it would carry out special sweeps of delivery rooms throughout Scotland on the night of the elections to catch any late postal ballots which will then be handed over to election officials. | The Royal Mail said it would carry out special sweeps of delivery rooms throughout Scotland on the night of the elections to catch any late postal ballots which will then be handed over to election officials. |
| Are you worried about not yet receiving your postal ballot? Write to BBC Scotland's news website to let us know. Click here to send an email, and write 'postal ballot concern' in the subject line. | Are you worried about not yet receiving your postal ballot? Write to BBC Scotland's news website to let us know. Click here to send an email, and write 'postal ballot concern' in the subject line. |
| Your comments | |
| My son is living in Norway. He is only 19 - so his first chance to vote. He applied as soon as he could for a postal vote, but his postal vote has not even arrived yet - so absolutely no chance of his vote getting in on time and being counted. He commented that he had received a letter from the SNP at his address in Norway (he is not a member) and thought it pretty ironic that a political party had managed to get their material to him on time, but the authorities' incompetence had disenfranchised him. He's pretty cross about it. People are worried about young people not taking an interest in voting - here was one young man who firmly believes in democracy and was really looking forward to his first vote. How many other young people on gap years have been affected? And how about the armed forces serving abroad, who are reported to be ready to 'give Labour a kicking'? Are they going to be unable to register their opinions, as well? It makes the cynical amongst us wonder if this is a form of vote rigging? Susan |