Over 1,000 postal votes rejected in 2015 as electorate are warned

One in 10 postal votes in Central Ward were rejected in the May 2015 elections and over nine per cent turned down from voters in Ravensthorpe.And earlier this month, Cambridgeshire police executed two evening warrants on residential addresses as part of an investigation into suspected electoral malpractice. A spokeswoman said: “No arrests were made and inquiries continue.”

In total, 860 postal votes out of 18,790 (4.6 per cent) were rejected last year in wards where the electorate were voting in both the general and local elections. And in wards that had only a parliamentary election, 293 postal votes were rejected.

A Peterborough City Council spokesman said: “Postal voters are required to provide their date of birth and signature on a voting statement when returning their postal ballot papers.

If either the signature or the date of birth, or both, do not match those on our records then the postal vote is rejected at the verification stage of the count.”

The council’s election hotline can be contacted on 01733 452277. If you believe an offence is in progress contact police on 101.