Recommendation 5

HM Government Accepted

This Government is committed to strengthening the postal and proxy voting system to make it more resilient and responsive. The changes we are making, as outlined in our Strategy for Elections, will improve the resilience and capacity of the postal voting system for all. These changes include a change to the deadline for applying for a postal vote in order to build more time into the system; allowing lost or spoilt postal votes to be replaced sooner; providing more flexibility for electors to cancel their postal vote and vote in person or appoint a proxy, if their postal vote is no longer a viable option; and making updates to the laws governing postal and proxy voting to ensure they support good practice. We note the Committee’s recommendations on the postal voting system. However, some are beyond the scope of capability of the current system. For example, printing ballot packs on a rolling basis is impractical with the technicalities and logistics of the process and it is not viable for printers to print single ballot packs in real-time while applications are being received. Turning to the Committee’s recommendation on next day delivery for poll cards. As an estimate, moving from the current system to one of first-class postage would equate to an additional cost of approximately £52 million for a UK Parliamentary election, if using figures based on the electorate at the 2024 General Election. This would be a significant increase in cost to the public purse which, at this time, we would not consider to be a viable option. We note the Committee’s recommendation regarding the reissuing of postal ballot packs and the ability for electors to be able to apply to change their voting method. Measures are already being developed to address these issues as set out in the Strategy. Regarding the recommendation that people should be able to hand in their postal vote at designated council premises up to the day of the election, this is already the case and applied during the General Election last year. On the Committee’s fourth recommendation, the Government already works alongside Royal Mail in the period preceding an election, to discuss plans and preparedness for the upcoming poll. This work will continue in future polls, building upon the positive working relationship that has been developed over a number of years. In relation to the Committee’s recommendation on the universal service obligation (USO), Parliament has given Ofcom the role of independent postal regulator under the Postal Services Act 2011. This places a duty on Ofcom to secure the provision of a universal postal service and they must, by order, set out a description of the services that they consider should be provided in the UK as a universal postal service, as well as the standards with which those services are to comply. During an election, a range of business mail and election services are used through either an access operator or directly with Royal Mail. These are business accounts which are not regulated under the USO, though they align with its reformed delivery model. The Government is confident that Royal Mail has a major focus on delivering election mail to the required standard and the reports from the Electoral Commission, as well as from this Committee, conclude that Royal Mail performed well under the difficult circumstances of last year’s General Election. Therefore, we believe there is no need for further regulatory or Government intervention in this area. On the issue of flexible voting, we recognise that the way in which the public votes has changed in various ways since the Ballot Act was passed in 1872. This Government committed in its manifesto to encourage greater participation in our democracy. We see modernising the voting experience as a key part of achieving that goal. To support this, the Government is exploring ways to make voting in person at polling stations more efficient, more convenient, and better aligned with the expectations of today’s electors. We will be conducting a range of pilot projects, partnering with local authorities to trial a variety of flexible voting options at the local elections in May 2026 and 2027. It should be noted that the pilots will not extend to trials of online voting or the use of electronic voting machines in polling stations. We also have no plans at this time to remove the use of poll cards altogether as the Government considers poll cards an important tool for the communication of vital information directed at every individual elector regarding an upcoming poll. They contain essential information including contact details which, importantly, can support disabled electors in seeking more direct information and support to participate. Overseas Voting