As we go to press the result of the New Deal elections is about to be announced, but its not been a smooth road to the ballot box.
The first set of ballot papers, which were salmon coloured, said vote for three people, but this was wrong. So a second set of blue ballot papers was sent out saying vote for five people. All ‘salmon’ ballots are to be discarded. Will this affect the vote? A local resident told the Messenger:
“When I got the second envelope with ‘Electoral Reform Services’ on it, I ignored it because I’d already voted. I was about to throw it away.The envelope should have been marked urgent or something. And then there was no information about the candidates with it, I'd thrown the original away and now I was expected to choose two more people without it. Some people just won’t bother.”
New Deal told the Messenger:
“We are confident that re-issuing of ballot papers will not affect the number of ballot papers received as the new papers were issued within days of the originals being dispatched. Many voters will choose to vote at the festival rather than sending their forms via the post. Electoral Reform Services (ERS) have also confirmed that this has not compromised the legitimacy or likely turnout of the election.”
The Messenger also received reports from residents who hadn’t received their ballot papers, but New Deal reassured us there were only three isolated cases and these had been put right.