OVER A THIRD of postal votes issues just a few days earlier have been returned by attentive voters in the Elgin City North by election taking place a week today.
Now those postal voters still to return their ballot papers are being urged to take great care in completing them – with the depute returning officer, Moira Patrick, saying it was important to complete the postal voting statement in full else the ballot paper would not count.
She said: “Some common mistakes seen on returned statements include simple errors such as not completing the date of birth in full.
“Sometimes, if more than one voter in the household has a postal vote they complete the one that’s not in their name. Almost without exception, during the last two elections this tends to be when the husband is completing the wife’s postal vote statement by mistake, and realises it after having written on it. Please take care to ensure that you have the postal vote addressed to you.”
Voters who have issues with their postal votes should contact the elections office for assistance – but all are encouraged to return their vote as soon as possible to ensure it reaches the count in good time ahead of the poll.
For those voting on the day there will be seven polling stations across four sites open. Voters do not have to take their poll card with them to vote, but it helps the staff at the polling station if they do.
Polling stations are located at Bishopmill Hall, Seafield School, Williamson Hall off Duff Avenue and Elgin Community Church, Pinefield.
The by-election was called after councillor Sandy Cooper, elected at the local government elections on May 5, resigned on May 9.