Postal Votes for the Referendum

[Lavanda]

Although there are posts about voting in the forth-coming referendum on the end of Benidorms "ExPat or Exile" thread I'm going to start a new one with that specific title — for obvious reasons.

While doing my on-line UK tax return I noticed that the Government Gateway site had lots of 'adverts' for voting to stay in the EU (Government Policy). There were links for registering on-line and applying for proxy and postal voting papers on-line.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... n-Form.pdf

It's all quite straight-forward:

Print off the 'Application to Vote by Post' form. Fill it in. Scan it. E-mail it to your local electoral services office (addresses given) or just post it.

It all sounds easy EXCEPT on the Guidelines bit there is a section that tells you what to do if you do not receive your ballot paper "four days before the poll". Apparently you contact the Returning Officer at your local council for a replacement. So, let's see. Four days before the poll I contact them, they send me a replacement ballot paper and I get it four days later, weekends and fiestas excluded. I then return it the same day and it takes four days excluding weekends and fiestas to get back. This could be an A-level maths test but in a run of eight days at least two will be a weekend. That makes 10 days. I therefore calculate my ballot will get back six days late.

Why is the time scale so impossible?

[Superplonk]

It's almost like they don't really want us to have a say...

[TorreDelAguila]

Our returning officer in Surrey advised us not to use the postal vote system for precisely this reason. She advised a proxy vote instead, which we've just authorised.

[Lavanda]

I think this may be one time they DO want our votes. Earlier today I contacted my returning district and posed several time-scale questions and the logistics of postal votes and got this reply within two hours:

"Ballot papers to overseas addresses will be despatched on the 27 May; I trust this is sufficient time for you to receive and return your papers."

I think the Government is very keen to get as many British people around the globe to vote as wants to do so.

[katy]

They need all the votes they can get with the last 5 polls showing a lead for Brexit.

[katy]

Interesting Lavanda that you mention the "free ads" for remain on the site. Totally undemocratic and not a level playing field. First the row over the pamphlet expenditure of £9.3 million, now claims that the Government paid for yesterday's bash in the British museum, well the taxpayer. Claimed it was Government information yet David Milliband led it as part of Britain stronger in Europe. Others claim the the Government has paid to get some terms on Google with their remain sites at the top....at the cost of 62p per click for the taxpayer.

[Lavanda]

... and your point is? ... Of course the Government of the day will use the Government web site to promote Government policies. As for the rest of it surely you cannot be writing that things are corrupt, biased and unfair with abuses of public money in the UK, can you?

Anyway, let's stick to the point which is that there is time for all ex-pats the world over to get in their postal votes no matter whether they vote 'In' or 'Out'. It's Democracy and as so many of us pay tax in the UK on our fat civil service pensions it's also just.

[katy]

Yes let's stick to the point. Can't wait for all those posters coming on ...I got mine Thurs/Fri/Mon etc. Or they didn't get it at all. Very entertaining, cough!