Is it time for you to apply for a Postal Vote?

IT IS MUCH MORE CONVENIENT TO VOTE BY POST SO WHY NOT APPLY NOW?

We are fortunate to live in a country where voting fraud is rare and we are not only able to register for a postal vote but be fairly certain that our ballot paper will arrive in time and subsequent cast vote will be efficiently processed by our postal service.

Not so in the US, where Donald Trump seems set on dampening down the postal votes in the November US Presidential elections by refusing to approve the additional funding needed by the US mail system.

Covid-19 has meant that the 2020 elections including those for the Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner plus outstanding local by-elections have had to be postponed until May 2021 when we are also due to have the elections for the Suffolk County Council, meaning that next year voters will have a number of votes to cast. There is a still a chance that these elections next May, and any that may happen before then, may consist entirely of postal voting. Certainly, this particular election cycle has added variables and unknowns and as we have seen recently, things can change very quickly.

For many, making the trip to the polling station is an act of community participation, a special occasion where we exercise our hard won fight for universal suffrage and a visible support for local democracy. For a growing number however, the demands of work, home and leisure means that polling day can be easily overlooked and beating the 10 pm deadline a step too far after commuting from a hard day at work.There are still many other good sound reasons for voting by post and maybe now is the time to consider applying for a postal vote from your electoral registration department.. YOU CAN ALSO DOWNLOAD AN APPLICATION FROM THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION WEBSITE - SEE LINK BELOW.

SO WHY HAVE A POSTAL VOTE?

Postal votes are sent out by councils around two weeks before polling day and enable an elector to complete a ballot paper at home and return it to the council.

Some reasons why you may find it particularly useful to have a postal vote:

• You may find it difficult to get out of your home

• You are particularly busy with work or caring responsibilities

• You may not be around for polling day, e.g. you are on holiday/ working away from home or something just comes up on the day

• Your polling station has moved, or you live remotely from it,

Having a postal vote means that you are extremely likely to vote.

HOW TO REGISTER FOR A POSTAL VOTE

You will be able to get postal vote application from the local council (East Suffolk District Council) or download a copy from the Electoral Commission website or follow this link.

Remember, you should give your Returning Officer's office as the primary return address that the completed form should be sent to.

East Suffolk District Council Electoral Services

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