Rishi Sunak is not concerned that some people could be disenfranchised by delays to receiving their postal votes ahead of polling day, Downing Street has said.
The Government is aware of some issues around the printing and delivery of postal ballot packs in some local areas and is working to help resolve them, according to No 10.
It comes after Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney warned that some Scots could be “disenfranchised” if their postal votes cannot be filled out and returned on time.
We’re working closely with the Electoral Commission, returning officers, Royal Mail and the print suppliers to support the resolution of these issues
Prime Minister's spokesman
Voters north of the border reported still not having received their ballots with days to go until July 4, with some now overseas.
The Electoral Commission was not able to share information about which areas have been affected.
Asked whether the Prime Minister shared Mr Swinney’s concerns, Mr Sunak’s official spokesman told reporters on Monday: “No.
“We are aware of some concerns around the printing and delivery of postal ballot packs in some local areas.
“We’re working closely with the Electoral Commission, returning officers, Royal Mail and the print suppliers to support the resolution of these issues.
“We understand that the Royal Mail will also be conducting sweeps of their delivery system on polling day to make sure that any ballot packs still in the postal system are identified and passed to returning officers ahead of polls closing.
“And anyone who hasn’t received their postal ballot yet may want to contact their returning officer or arrange for it to be reissued, or to arrange for an alternative avenue to cast their ballot.”
Mr Swinney on Sunday said there had been “significant reports of people who were trying to vote by post who had applied properly for a postal vote before the deadline of June 19”.
He also said there had been “no thought given to summer school holidays” in Scotland when Mr Sunak called the election.
“Those postal ballots have not arrived with people and some of them have now left the country, and they have been disenfranchised because of the timing of the election, which is something I deeply regret,” he told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News.
A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission said: “Tens of thousands of postal votes were delivered over the weekend. We know local authorities and Royal Mail are working to get the final ones out as soon as possible.
“As is the case at all elections, given the electoral timetable, there is a short window of time for administrators to prepare and dispatch postal votes.
“Anyone who hasn’t yet received their postal ballot pack should request a replacement from their local authority. Voters have the option to hand their postal pack to their polling station on polling day if they are concerned about posting it.
“They can also ask someone to hand their ballot pack in on their behalf. Voters can hand in a maximum of five postal ballots in addition to their own, and will be required to complete a form at the polling station when doing so.
“We recognise the pressures on the postal voting system due to the holiday season. We are continuing to provide advice and guidance to electoral services teams to support them with the postal voting process.
“Following the election, we will undertake research with voters and electoral administrators to understand their experiences at this poll. The administration of postal voting is one of the areas we will look at.”
According to the regulator, a voter can only apply for an emergency proxy if something unexpected prevents them from voting, such as a medical emergency, being away for work, and a lost or stolen voter ID.
Local councils are responsible for sending postal ballot forms to voters.
Completed postal votes must have reached councils by 10pm on polling day.
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