Ellie95

Hi guys. With barely 4 days to go until the referendum I have still not received my postal vote ballot papers. I did receive a polling card a few weeks back but obviously because I am in Spain I registered to vote by post. Beginning to panick a bit here that my vote won't count, so wondering if there is anything else I can do. I was in touch with the election office in Bolton (that's my home town) at the beginning of last week and they said they sent the forms and I expected to receive them latest by the weekend but nope. I thought about a proxy vote but the deadline for that was 15 June if I'm not mistaken. Is anyone else in this position and any suggestions?

mikelincs

That's the problem with living in Spain. postal service is not very good.

Ellie95

Mikelincs oh dear. Guess I'm stuffed then. Thing is I registered months ago! I also blame the elections office for leaving it last minute, particularly with post to overseas. Surely they should have sent out the ballot papers ages ago

mikelincs

They may have done, but they are subject to the efficiency? of the Spanish postal system.

Ellie95

I suppose. Any suggestions Mike?

mikelincs

Sorry, no. I'm in the UK and have my voting card here, in fact I've had two lots, one from the place I moved from and one for here, and, the polling station is just two doors away, so easy to get to,

wsteele1983

Surprised you never received it ages ago. Im in Spain and got my postal vote about 4 weeks ago from Newcastle. Sent it straight off again.

Dont think there is anything you could do now. Even if you received it today it would never make it back in time anyhow.

Would you have voted In or Out, just for reference.

moneypenny20

Not convinced Spain is to blame. It's the same thing every election as well. If you live overseas but are registered to vote, it's luck of the draw if you receive the papers in time to get them back before the postal vote closes. I know a few here in Australia who have given up voting because they know their vote won't count. The best way, as far as I can gather is to use a Proxy Vote, providing you have someone you trust living in the UK obviously. Too late for this Referendum though.

Ellie95

I was obviously beginning to realise that I'm stuffed. As for which way I was going to vote I would have voted IN. Anyway I guess you learn from mistakes and I will not be registering to do postal voting again.

Ellie95

For some reason I thought it would be a straightforward process. Maybe I was naive to think that. My grandparents are based in France and they have since returned their postal ballot papers.

moneypenny20

In this day and age, there's no excuse for not getting the paperwork out to overseas registered voters well within the time frame. Let's be honest, there's no real reason why they can't have everyone who wants to, vote online, regardless of whether they're in the UK or overseas.

YMF

Best thing is to phone the electoral office of your local council and ask them what your options are now. You may still be able to organise a proxy vote.

I phoned mine to discover they intended to send all postal votes out 10 days before the referendum which meant we wouldn't have received them in time. They then said they might be able send them ealier. I didn't have much confidence that they would be so I contacted the PMs office online and they phoned the council and made sure they were sent out which they were.

Hope you get it sorted.

Ellie95

Thank you for this. I will get in touch with them right away and find out what is possible. I'll also look into the PMs office online and see if they can help.

Retired in Euskadi

My papers arrived 3 days ago & it said that they must arrive on Thursday 26th, so it's touch and go.
I suggest you ring them in Bolton & ask to vote by proxy if there's someone there that can do it for you. The proxy form is online; you can print it off, scan it & send it to them in Bolton & you might just be in time.

gill556

I registered with Redditch council, my 2 friends with Coventry and Liverpool and none of us have received our papers, absolute shambles just like the last elections.