ELECTION results could be overturned because of problems with the pioneering postal-vote trial in the north west, claim Opposition MPs.
Special ballot packs are due to go out to electors by Tuesday, but problems getting them printed have left councils across the region racing against time.
To save time, Oldham council staff will be distributing ballot packs by hand this weekend instead of relying on the Royal Mail.
Staff at Tameside council have also been offered money on top of their normal wage if they hand-deliver voting forms today and over the weekend.
And in Stockport, thousands of ballot papers will have to be reprinted following errors on the forms. The council's staff are also expected to be drafted in to make deliveries.
There is no criticism of Royal Mail, but postal voting packs must be delivered to all households by Tuesday - the legal deadline - and councils have faced delays receiving the forms from printers.
But election officials are confident that all voters will receive the correct packs on time.
Delays are still coming to light and it has also emerged that people in the Alexandra ward of Oldham received papers listing candidates for a ward in ... Stockport!
Question
The government has admitted that if the ballot forms are not ready for distribution by June 1, the elections could be open to legal challenge. And because there is a single north west "constituency" in the European poll, a problem in one part of the region could call the entire ballot into question.
It is understood the Conservatives, who opposed postal voting in the north West, have no plans to launch a challenge.
The situation could change depending whether the problems are sorted out by Tuesday - and on which parties do well when the votes are counted.
Graham Brady, Tory MP for Altrincham and Sale West, warned: "People will rightly feel angry if the results of elections are overturned because of this shambles and elections have to be re-run.
"This shambles was foreseen and predicted. Ministers haven't got a clue what they are doing and they should apologise.
"They should also guarantee that anyone who does not receive a ballot paper in
sufficient time, should be able to go to a polling station and vote in the traditional way."
The problems first surfaced in Cheshire, where Warrington and the district councils are using the same firm of printers, organised by a private firm of election specialists called Opt2Vote.
Controversy
Warrington said it was preparing to bring in extra staff to deliver forms by hand, with the time scale particularly tight because Monday is a Bank Holiday.
Tony Blair weighed into the controversy when he told the M.E.N. returning officers had given assurances the ballot packs would be delivered on time.
He denied the problems showed the north west was not ready for postal voting and said it was still a welcome measure to increase plummeting turnouts.
Asked if the region might now miss the June 1 deadline, the Prime Minister said: "I only know what people tell me and they assure me it won't.
"Regional returning officers believe it is in shape.
"There has been a problem with a particular printing firm. Postal voting increases the turnout and that is a good thing."
John Merry, leader of Salford council, said all ballot papers in his area had been sent out a day after the city admitted a delay.
About 5.1m people are eligible to vote in this year's elections. Thirty-three councils are going to the polls, and nine seats are also available at the European Parliament.
Boundary changes mean every seat is being fought on every council in Greater Manchester.
The government decided all voting would be by post this year, despite the fact its independent advisory body, the Electoral Commission, was unable to recommend the system for trial in the north west.
What do you think of postal voting?
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got my ballot papers today. Not easy to understand at all, I feel like binning them. They are not making it easy thats for sure. I dont think that I will be voting this way ever.
I received my pack with excitement and trepidation - and I was greeted with the most confusing load of gobbledeeguck I have ever seen. I work long hours but would have taken a few minutes to go to a private booth in a school - but I will not be expected to find a witness to my signature - what do they think they will gain by that. Bring back the polling booth all is forgiven.
Although myself and my wife have been delivered the correct voting forms, the leaflet to explain the procedure and where to contact if there are problems are for Bolton. Not much use really.
Where we asked if we wished to take part in this? NO, where we consulted? NO. If you did this in bussiness and put the customers bussiness at risk, you would loose your job, but its perfectly alright for the authorities to put our intrinc RIGHTS at risk. Have the got a back up plan if this does not work ? NO. Does any one know if we can sue the local council for failing to supply our rights if this does not work?
I'm still waiting... not that I'm blaming the council for te printers screw ups, but really, there should be a back up plan incase this fails. We've had postal votes before and it ran like clock work that time so whats the difference this time?? I'm puzzled.
I gave up. Binned it. Its now where it belongs.
if john merry from Salford Council says they have gone out, then where is my ballot papers ?
This whole posting vote fiasco was caused by New Labour's panic at the prospect of the BNP getting an MEP elected. I thought democracy comes from the Latin for "will of the people" Some democracy !!
Conservative Voter
I think most people have missed the whole point, Mr Blair and his corrupt cronies are scared to death that people in the North West will vote for one of the independents - either the BNP or UKIP - and they're so desperate to make sure that this doesn't happen, that they'll do anything to ensure that millions of us around the country don't get a vote.
If, and when, we get our ballot papers, make sure that the independents get the vote, which will make the major parties sit up and take notice of the electorate.
How can Councillor Merry say that all Salford ballot packs went out the day after they received them? I rang the Salford Election office at 3.00 this afternoon (Friday 28th May) and was told that they had not sent any but that they would all be going in the post tonight!
When I asked what would happen if they did not arrive by Tuesday (as it is Bank Holiday) I was blithely told "if you haven't received them by the 6th June then give us a ring again"!!
As I am still waiting for a letter which was posted on the 17th May I don't hold out much hope.
But if I do not receive my ballot papers, having voted in every election; Local, National and European, since I was eligible I will be kicking up a BIG fuss!!
Postal voting is being introduced to encourage the lazy people who can't be bothered to vote.
Patricia.
Could John Merry tell me where my voting papers are if he said they have been posted?
If John Merry states that the voting papers for Salford went out "the day after the city admitted delays" how come we still haven't received them?
I rang the elections office in Salford on the 28th May and was informed that they had not posted them but "they are due to go out tonight".
What is going on? Was Councillor Merry misquoted or does he not know what is going on in his own area?
Sheila
Just opened the thing today... what a load of confusing cobblers. I have to find a witness, but the witness is not actually allowed to witness my filling in the ballot paper (so exactly what is the point???), and for some reason I get 3 votes at the local election (why???? this is not explained) - oh and they put the BNP in the #1 slot in the european voting paper... so much for trying to discourage people voting for them.
TBH I'm not sure *how* to vote given that lot. Do I fill in both voting papers? Am I allowed to vote for the same person 3 times or should the be different? What is the significance of the 3 votes? I'm also not sure I trust this 'your vote will remain secret' stuff - my name and address are on the damned papers!!!!
Bring back the polling booths, please!
The complacency of Tony Blair, Howard Bernstein and others is astonishing.
If democracy means anything all voters should have an equal chance to vote: quite clearly, whatever happens next week, some voters have been disadvantaged.
And of course this 'trial' was introduced solely to benefit the Labour Party, whose retreat from principle has caused a collapse of its core vote.
I live in Eccles and we have not had anybody round to verify who lives at our addresses! saw an article in the local advertiser that 4 people are being investigated for forging the signatures of addresses they were supposed to check! no sign of our votes either. This is a ridiculous system. Will I even get a vote this year? or do our votes not count?
My husband and i have both received our voting papers. But now what? The form that allows you to vote for one candidate is clear enough but to vote for no more than 3 in the local election, whats all that about? When we had the "good old days" if you put a cross in more than one candidate box your vote was disqualified. If you vote for three who decides which one to use?. Is it me that is thick or what?
Just received my vote today, didn't see what was so hard to understand with it really. But I don't see the point of the witness statement part. No one had to sign it at the polling booth. I just hope the post office manage to deliver it on time as for some reason Salford only have 3 drop off points and I live no where near one.
I have just recieved my postal voting papers. Why have they got barcodes on the identity paper and on the ballot papers. I thougth your vote was between you and the ballot box. I am sure that if a barcode can identify a can of beans in a supermarket then it can surely I dentify a person and associate that code to who they voted for. This is cause for consern and an infringement of constitutional rights. Also why were we not given the choice of how we could vote, surely it would be a simple matter of handing over your postal papers at a polling station and recieving a ballot form in the old and tested way.
I do wish people would stop the hysteria over the barcode. It is for SECURITY purposes only. It does NOT identify the voter whatsoever. When you vote at a polling station and you take your voting card it has a number on it too. Which corresponds to your name and number on the electoral register and the people at the polling station tick it off. So whats the difference? This is just a computerised way of checking your electoral role number and that you are entitled to vote. That is WHY the barcode on your declaration is in a SEPERATE envelope. This gets scanned and discarded BEFORE your ballot paper envelope is opened, it prevents fraud. I cannot beleive people can be so paranoid.
What concerns me is that your vote is NOT secret. Whilst you put your votes in one envelope and your name and your witness in another, there is nothing to stop them being opened and read together. Also I'll still have as far to walk to the post box as the polling station, so whats the point?
I won't be voting for anybody I have not heard of let alone spoken to.
There must be forty people named on the list for the euro vote none of whom I have any knowledge of so how can I make any valid choice?.
I have always voted and to now not have the option of voting on polling thursday but to have to do it before by post seems like an infringement of my civil rights, Then to have my identity validated and put through the meat grinder called the post office seems to have cheapened the electoral system and made it even more unsecure.
We hear , almost daily, about the post office "losing" mail, so why are the Government so committed to postal votes.
As with everything that has run for years and have now been subjected to modern reform i.e. the railways, public transport etc, this new idea will let the unscrupulous moneymakers in and take control of OUR votes.
Postal Voting:
Whilst it seems like a good idea capable of reaching the countless numbers of people who can not find time to get to a polling station there is one major flaw.
This has to do with the question of anonymity. At polling stations the ballot papers are unmarked by barcodes or numbers where as the postal voting system makes use of a barcode for "security" reasons. This barcode removes the your anonymity when voting for your chosen party, as the barcode is intrensically linked to the voters name and address. Hence it makes it possibile to identify individuals with in the local community who have voted for an unfavourable party and intimidate / persecute them for their political beliefs.
Bring back the old system!!