Time is running out for voters who want to have their say by post on the Welsh Assembly Referendum on law making powers.
Registered voters who find it difficult to get to a polling station, are away on holiday on referendum day, March 3, or those who simply prefer to vote in the comfort of their own home need to get their request in by February 16.
Swansea Council has worked hard to enable people to vote by post of they wish as a way of increasing access to and turn out at elections.
In the General Election last year were 29,000 postal voters. This time around 31,000 are to recieve postal vote packs.
Matthew Hillier, Swansea Council Electoral Services Manager, said: “I would urge voters who may not be able to get to their polling station on March 3 or would rather vote from the comfort of their own home to take the opportunity to vote by post.”
If you have already applied to vote by post you will recieve the postal vote pack automatically and do not need to re apply for this referendum.
The referendum question asks people to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the question: “Do you want the Assembly now to be able to make laws on all matters in the 20 subject areas it has powers for?”
If the majority of voters in the referendum vote ‘yes’ the Assembly will be able to make laws on all matters in the 20 subject areas it has powers for without seeking agreement from the UK Parliament.
If the majority of voters vote ‘no’ the current process will continue whereby to make laws in some matters the Assembly must ask the UK Parliament for its agreement.
If people apply for a postal vote, they will receive a postal vote pack which will include a ballot paper and instructions.
Postal voters will need to provide both their signature and date of birth on their postal vote application and also on the postal voting statement that is sent out with ballot papers.
This will enable the identifiers on the statement to be checked against those supplied on the application.
To apply for a postal vote, please contact the Electoral Services Team on 01792 636123. Alternatively you can download an Application to Vote by Post form at http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=42294 and return it to Electoral Services, Room 2.2.3, Civic Centre, Swansea SA1 3SN.
