Legal threat as 'hundreds of ballots go missing'

THE result of the key marginal seat of York Outer could face a legal challenge after reports that hundreds of postal ballots had gone missing.

Voters claimed last night that some had applied for a postal vote but never received the ballot paper and were told that they are among hundreds whose papers did not arrive.

York council said it was not aware of a problem, adding that 80 per cent of postal votes had been returned, 10 per cent more than at the last election.

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Chief executive Kersten England said: "We have issued over 17,000 postal votes and have had a very high return rate. "

It was claimed that call centre staff have told those complaining that the problems were due to a printing error and a temporary closure at the local postal sorting office.

Kath Lettice said her 84-year old father's vote had been lost.

She said: "He received confirmation that he would get a postal vote then it didn't turn up.

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"When he spoke to the officers they said there were hundreds of people in that position and there is nothing they can do about it."

Leading electoral officers have this week warned that they have been put under intense pressure by a sudden surge in postal votes and the tight 11-day window in which people have to receive and return their ballot papers.