Northumberland Election 2008 Video

Your guide to the election - POSTAL VOTES

by Paddy Gascoigne from Blyth Valley Council (Deputy Returning Officer for Northumberland)

A postal vote means that an elector can simply send use their vote if they are not able to attend a polling station, for example if they are going out of the country or in another part of this country on election day, they can place their vote in advance. 

For some people the postal voting system is their preferred option because it is more convenient, particularly the elderly.  We send the postal votes out about a week before the election. They are sent to the address of the elector with a statement and a ballot paper for them to complete. 

The elector signs the statement and puts their date of birth on – this is very important as it is a measure to stop fraud and ensures that the elector we sent the vote out to has himself used the vote.  When the postal votes come back, they are opened and the statement checked against the central records which has the signature and date of birth of that elector.  If the two don’t match then unfortunately we must reject that vote but if everything matches the vote is counted and goes towards the votes on election day.