Running electoral registration - Scotland

What happens if the postal vote has already been returned?

As postal ballot papers may be issued to electors from the deadline for withdrawals, but the deadline for changes to absent voting arrangements is not until 5pm, 11 working days before the poll, there are provisions to allow the Returning Officer to cancel an already issued ballot paper.

To allow the Returning Officer to cancel the relevant ballot paper, you must notify them whenever you have granted:1   

• cancellation of postal vote arrangements
• change from postal to proxy
• application for a postal ballot paper to be sent to a different address

If a person returns a postal ballot paper that has been or is to be cancelled, the ballot paper, together with any other ballot papers returned, the postal voting statement or covering envelopes must be forwarded to the Returning Officer.2   

However, you must disregard any application to change the elector’s method of voting for the poll for which the postal ballot paper has been issued if, before you have determined the new application, the elector returns their postal ballot paper (unless they have spoilt it or claim it has been lost or not received). If you are not the Returning Officer at the poll you will need to closely liaise with them to check the list of returned postal ballot papers before processing any requests for changes after postal ballot packs have been issued.3   

There are no provisions for those electors with a postal vote at a particular poll to cancel their postal vote. However, they may change their voting method by submitting a fresh proxy application by 5pm, 11 working days before the poll, which would supersede the earlier application for a postal vote.

Postal voters with a longer-term postal vote arrangement may cancel their postal vote at any time up until 5pm, 11 working days before a poll to be effective at that poll.4 The exception to this is where the completed postal ballot paper has already been returned by the elector for the poll. This is also the case for an elector voting by proxy, where their proxy has a postal vote and has already voted on behalf of the elector by returning their completed postal proxy vote.5  

It is the return of the ballot paper that is relevant in determining whether or not an elector can make changes to their postal voting arrangements to take effect at that poll. Returning Officers will therefore need to have in place a system that will allow them to identify promptly whether or not a postal ballot paper has been returned.