Peter
Viggers, MP for the Gosport constituency, will today promote
the use of the postal vote system, when he speaks in the
House of Commons on the subject of the Electoral Commission.
Peter, who is spokesman for the Speaker’s Committee
on the Electoral Commission, will urge as many people as
possible to apply to vote by post.
He said, “Turnout on election day has dwindled nationwide
over a number of years, and this is one way in which the
system is being made more voter-friendly. People lead such
busy lives that it is often hard to find time to get to a
polling station on the day of the election itself. Postal
voting is quick and convenient, and makes it easier for people
to cast their vote without actually having to make time to
visit a polling station. Anyone eligible to vote is entitled
to apply for a postal vote – you do not need any reason
for wanting to vote in this way.”
“Postal
vote application forms can be obtained from a number of
different places. You can contact the Electoral
Registration Office at your local Council, or download a
form online. You can even apply electronically if you visit
the dedicated website at http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/vote/postal/?defCountry=1.
“You can apply to vote by post for a particular election,
for a set period of time, or for all future elections – it
is entirely up to you. However, if you wish to vote in the
June elections, your local authority must receive your application
by 5pm on 2 June. If you already have a postal vote and need
to update your details, then this should be done by 5pm on
25 May.
“We have seen a steady increase in the number of applications
for postal votes over the past few years. I hope that this
trend will continue, and that the option to vote by post
will encourage a greater number of people to have their say
at election time”. |
