UK postal votes - system unfit for purpose moan

[Superplonk]

Well it's now four days to go until the General Election and I am still waiting for my ballot papers. The chances of my vote (if I ever get to cast it) being counted are now negligible. The confirmation of entitlement to vote that I recently received stated that the papers can be sent out five days before the date of the election. I am still waiting for letters sent from Madrid a week and a half ago, so how can the UK system for overseas voters be regarded as democratic? When do we move to e-voting?

[El Cid]

Blame Correos, not the UK government. It's Correos that isn't fit for purpose!

E- voting is a long way away - far to liable to abuse and the UK do not like any sort of ID (physical or digital) as it is "an invasion of privacy" or some such claptrap!

Even Spain has ID cards with a digital signature that can be read by a PC. I can't see that happening in the UK for years.

Sid

[Superplonk]

Well they let me make a UK tax return online! I do know it's largely the fault of the Spanish end of the delivery operation, but this is hardly a secret. The UK should allow for the reality of other countries' postal systems and send out the papers with time to spare. I only want to vote in one general election before they finally disenfranchise me because of the 15 year rule.

[El Cid]

The system is designed for the UK and postal votes need to be cast near the election. It would be totally impractical to allow for the vagaries of other postal systems. How long should they allow for an expat living in the Congo or some small island in the Pacific?

Let's just face it, they could not really care less about expat votes which is why we get disenfranchised after 15 years.

At least the Tories have promised to extend the deadline before you can no longer vote - could that be because most expats are likely to be Tory voters? Surely not!

Sid

[GerryinCajiz]

I received my (our) ballot papers on 28 April (Tuesday) and posted them back on Thursday 30 April. Hopefully they should get there in time! As they are sent out from the various constituencies, I guess it is down to how efficient the local councils are. My constituency on this occasion does appear to be fit for purpose.

[ajtg1952]

Me to Gerry, arrived, voted on and away.

Incidentally, Superplonk, why to you have a UK tax return if you live in Spain?

[Superplonk]

...maybe I have income in the UK.

I think the responsibility does lie with the local councils. In my case it is Southwark and the incumbent MP is Simon Hughes. I've tried direct messaging him on Twitter. I know he's rather busy this week, but I'm not too impressed that he hasn't replied.
Anyway, I was very pleased to receive my Spanish voter registration confirmation today, so at least I'll be able to vote for the mayor.

[Mowser]

I opted for a proxy vote as I didn't trust Correos to deliver on time.

[Superplonk]

I don't know anyone who lives in that constituency, so a proxy vote is out.
To my enormous surprise my letter box was empty today. Even if the papers turn up tomorrow, it's now too late to get them returned in time.

[El Cid]

It was empty because Correos are on strike!

Sid

[elusive]

Does your vote just go to the constituency you were last registared in?

[GerryinCajiz]

Yes, your ballot paper arrives with all the candidates listed, you just pick your favourite!

[elusive]

Thanks gerry

[Superplonk]

It's arrived along with a letter that took ten days to get here from Madrid! .....and it's going in the bin.

[vinuela vinny]

Morning All

Apparently the postal vote docs couldn't be mailed until 20 April, when nominations closed

We received our Parliamentary, District Council and Town Council docs in our Apartado on 22 April, with thankfully the correct airmail postage on the envelope, and we returned them on the same day. Well done our local UK Council officers, and Correos

Appreciate that some others have had problems, but with respect, would suggest that it's important to get the blame allocated to those actually specifically responsible, and not to generalise......

Regards to all

Vincent

[elusive]

While to some extent ( not much )i can see why people are allowed to vote in gen elections but council elections for somewhere you dont live? all seems muddled seeing as I can vote in elections in a country i dont live in yet not in the gen etc elections in the one i do live in

[vinuela vinny]

Hi Elusive

We DO live in the UK, and we vote in every election, either in person or by post. I'll not get into the Russell Brand 'not worth voting' thing, but we think it's an important right, chore, duty - call it whatever you like, but we think that you should do it.....

Following-on from the above, we are non-resident in Spain, being here for less than six months each year for the past two decades, so we don't pay resident taxes here, and so don't even want to vote here..... We'll leave that to the people who do live here......

Hopefully not muddled at all......

Regards to all

Vincent

[GerryinCajiz]

Looking at the election results, it seems that my postal vote got there on time!

[knowal]

When applying for a postal vote from a foreign country, applicants are warned to consider whether it will be practically possible to return the voting papers in time.
Better to use a proxy if possible.
Otherwise, jump on a plane and go and vote yourself!

[gerryh]

I'm still waiting for my postal vote to arrive here in Spain.
Cheers
Gerry