3-12-03

Disabled Report confirms postal vote doubts – Barrett

John Barrett, Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, today warned against an all-postal vote in next year's European Elections, after a report by a leading disabled organisation came out against the plans.

The Government are currently taking the European Parliamentary Elections (Pilot) Bill through the House of Commons, which would allow for all postal ballots to be held next year.  It is expected that a postal ballot will be held in Scotland, the only European Parliamentary region in the UK without local elections on the same day.

However, the disabled organisation, SCOPE, has produced a report into new voting methods entitled "Polls Apart" in which it warns an all-postal ballot could disadvantage many disabled people. 

The report highlights a number of problems with postal voting, including the complicated instructions, the potential for coercion and vote stealing especially in communal accommodation, as well as the difficulty with voting in secret.

It concluded that "postal voting is not a very accessible method of voting" and that "postal voting should not be used as the sole method of voting."

In a statement, John Barrett said:

"One of the arguments often put forward for all-postal ballots is to help those who, for whatever reason, cannot get to a polling station.  However, this report by SCOPE raises some serious questions about the merits of an all-postal ballot in which millions of Scots will be asked to vote next year.

"The Government needs to think carefully before making any firm decisions.  However, if it does decide to push ahead with all postal voting then it must work with SCOPE and other organisations to ensure postal votes are made simpler and that the ability to vote independently is retained.  Disabled people must not be disadvantaged by their political process."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The full SCOPE report is available at: www.scope.org.uk/downloads/action/publications/PollsApartSummary_03.pdf