Election / ‘Small number’ of people in Northern Isles still waiting on postal vote packs
THERE are a small number of people still waiting to receive postal voting packs less than a week before the general election on Thursday.
A number of people across Scotland have similarly reported not receiving their ballots ahead of Thursday’s vote – at a time when many are heading away on holiday as the school term comes to a finish today (Friday).
A spokesperson for the Orkney and Shetland constituency said they are “assured that local delivery staff are working hard to prioritise and deliver packs as quickly as possible”.
There is a hope that people will receive them over the coming days, but any postal voters who have not received their postal vote pack by Monday (1 July) should contact their local elections office.
“Lost or undelivered postal votes can be replaced by the Returning Officer – with replacement packs available from 1 July,” the spokesperson said.
“Voters can attend the Council Offices in Kirkwall and Lerwick with ID for a pack to be reissued.
“We want everyone entitled to vote to have their vote counted. We would encourage all those with a postal vote to complete and return this as soon as possible – remembering that any votes returned to council offices or at a polling station must be accompanied by a postal vote return form or they will be rejected and not counted.”
At the last general election in 2019, 23 per cent of the Orkney and Shetland electorate had postal ballots issued to them.
Postal votes can either be returned in the post or taken to a designated council office, or brought to a polling station.
More information can be found here.
There are six candidates vying for the Orkney and Shetland seat. In alphabetical order, they are Alex Armitage (Greens), Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrats), Robert Leslie (SNP), Shane Painter (Conservatives), Conor Savage (Labour) and Robert Smith (Reform UK).
Follow our general election coverage here:
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