Data processing and IT failures have caused delays to postal vote deliveries across the UK, with more than 4 million ballot papers still to be sent to the Royal Mail to meet a 1 June, 2004, deadline.
The government has admitted that "technical issues" with data processing and printing machines operated by "associates" of software firm Opt2Vote meant that local returning officers around the country did not receive ballot packs according to the original schedule.
Councils were expecting forms to be delivered before the bank holiday weekend but many did not arrive, and others were error-ridden. Hundreds of council staff are now on standby to hand out voting forms amid fears that if the deadline is missed the election could be open to legal challenges in some areas.
Opt2Vote is one of several IT companies to supply the infrastructure for postal voting. The company said that the delays were due to "exacting standards" set for the production of ballot forms.
All-postal voting is being trialled in the North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, and the East Midlands. The Electoral Commission had warned ministers against running over ambitious pilot schemes for postal voting. It also cautioned against e-voting pilots, which ministers shelved at the beginning of the year.
Areas hit hardest by the delays are Stockport, Bradford, Gateshead and other parts of Tyneside. In Stockport all 220,000 ballot packs were reprinted as machines were unable to handle the volume of work. In Gateshead 150,000 papers were reprinted because machines were having technical difficulties merging local and European forms.
Although 91 percent of forms have now been printed, there are still 4 million forms still to reach the Post Office by the 1 June midnight deadline. Speaking on TV on 31 May, Prime Minister Tony Blair insisted the delivery remains on course.
