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‘Women lost lives for this right’: Aviemore voter’s anger at being denied a say for first time in postal ballot delay

Sarah Hobbs is only on a short-break in Orkney – but cannot take part in a crucial election because the Government called it at short notice in the school holidays.

Sarah Hobbs is being disenfranchised because of postal vote delays. Image supplied.
Sarah Hobbs is being disenfranchised because of postal vote delays. Image supplied.

An Aviemore woman who has cast a vote in every election since she was 18 says postal vote delays have made this ballot undemocratic.

Sarah Hobbs was caught out along with thousands of people who applied to vote by post when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak set the date for July 4.

Most of Scotland’s schools are on holiday this week and some families are away from home on breaks.

Ms Hobbs, who first voted in 2005, registered in time but did not get confirmation for eight days.

Even though she met all deadlines, she had already gone to join her parents for a break in Orkney by the time the package came to her door on Monday – just days before the election.

‘I’m angry’

“It’s really hard to describe how I feel about this,” she told the P&J.

“I can’t vote in my own country. I’m sad about that, but I’m also angry.”

Ms Hobbs said the postal vote arrived on July 1, according to someone who was checking in on her cat while she was away.

Highland Council sent her to the electoral office then to Moray Council, which is dealing with the Moray West, Nairn & Strathspey count on the night.

She cannot get an emergency proxy vote because she already has a postal vote sitting at home.

Medical emergencies, work travel and lost photo-ID are the only reasons allowed under electoral law to allow someone to vote on another’s behalf.

John Swinney, right, was in Aviemore on Tuesday with Neil Martin. The SNP leader wrote to the PM about the postal vote problem. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

“Short of committing electoral fraud or travelling 350 miles home and back in 12 hours, spending another £90 on ferry and fuel, there is currently no way I can vote, despite doing everything well within the given time limits,” she added.

Ms Hobbs considers the timing to have been deliberate and thinks the government is not concerned about the fall-out.

She wants changes to the law next time to ensure the timing cannot be compressed so tightly that this happens again.

Ms Hobbs said: “It is the first general election I will be unable to vote in.

“I have voted diligently in local and national elections since turning 18 as I truly think it’s crucial, particularly when people – women – lost their lives for this right.”

First Minister John Swinney had already sounded the alarm that voters will be disenfranchised because of delays and clashes with holidays in Scotland.

Asked whether the Prime Minister shared Mr Swinney’s view, Mr Sunak’s official spokesman told reporters: “No.”

On Tuesday Mr Swinney sent a letter to Mr Sunak repeating his anger.


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