Essex council scrambles to send out postal votes after delay

Around 2,600 postal votes have been sent out late by Uttlesford District Council due to human error, the council's chief executive has said.

Chief executive Peter Holt told the BBC he was "mortified" but added that he believed most of the ballots would be returned in time for the general election.

The blunder has left the council scrambling to deliver its postal votes to residents in the North West Essex constituency.

The constituency area covers Writtle, Broomfield and the Walthams, Boreham and the Leighs and Chelmsford Rural West.

Kemi Badenoch, the Secretary of State for Trade and Business, is standing for the seat against Labour candidate, Issy Waite and Liberal Democrat candidate Smita Rajesh.

Holt told the BBC that if 50% or less of the delayed ballots were not counted in time, compared to some 75% of those dispatched the previous week, this could prompt a challenge from a losing candidate in a close result.

Postal voters should receive their ballots by Saturday or Monday at the latest, the council said.

A statement issued by the council urged voters who have not received a postal vote by Monday to contact the council.

It also said that voters can drop off their postal vote at any polling station in the constituency by 10pm on 4 July or hand them in to the council's offices in Chelmsford or Saffron Walden.

"Anyone handing in their postal vote in person will need to fill out a postal vote handling form provided by polling station staff/council office reception staff, otherwise their vote can't be accepted. Up to five postal votes (in addition to their own) can be handed in as long as they are not a candidate, party worker or campaigner," the council noted.

Adam Carey