Thousands affected by voting card printing error

Poll cards for proxy and postal voters for the Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner and the local elections were hit by the error.

It is believed to have affected 15,000 voters.

People who applied to vote through the post received proxy voting cards, and people voting through proxy voting cards received postal voting cards.

Winchester City Council is aware of the issue, a statement on their website says: “Due to an error by the Council’s printing contractor, some voters have received incorrect poll cards for the elections on 5 May.

“The error only affects voters who have applied for a postal vote or a proxy vote. Electors who are voting at polling stations in their own name are not affected.

“The council is arranging for an explanatory letter and replacement poll card to be sent to those who have received the wrong poll card.”

“No elector’s right to vote has been affected by the error. Postal voters will receive postal ballot papers as normal, which will be sent out on the date specified in the replacement poll card.

“Proxy voters will be able to vote on behalf on behalf of the elector who has appointed them, by attending the polling station specified on the replacement polling card, on Thursday 5 May 2016.

The problem was discovered by Winchester resident Eileen Buckingham,89, from Weeke, who informed Liberal Democrat councillor Jackie Porter.

Cllr Porter was shocked by the error and was told was told 15,000 people have been affected and has called for a full investigation into how it happened.

Cllr Porter, said:“It could have been a simple administrative error but if a member of the public had not come to us and shown us we would have not about this.

“It creates confusion in the mind of people that are voting and we want the process to be as simple as possible, but the city council should have checked the cards before they were sent out.

“I hope they will learn from this for the future, it is going to take a lot of money to correct this."