Candidates dismay as vital election information delivered with “junk” mail

Apr 14 2011 by Alastair McNeill, Hamilton Advertiser

HAMILTON voters complained this week that a leaflet explaining the choices for the upcoming referendum on the Westminster voting system and information about the Holyrood poll had been delivered within “junk” mail.

Voters contacted the Advertiser to point out the Electoral Commission pamphlet was concealed among leaflets advertising Farmfoods latest offers and a Virgin Media TV, broadband, telephone and mobile deal.

They believe it was inappropriate for a leaflet offering important advice for voters to have been posted through letter boxes as part of a leaflet drop comprising commercial advertising.

One voter told the Advertiser: “I’m fed up with getting unwanted mail through my letter box. I always throw out unsolicited leaflets because they clutter the place up.

“The Electoral Commission leaflet, however, was giving important advice on the Scottish Parliament election, and explaining the differences between first-past-the-post and the alternative vote system.

“However, others may never have known it was there because it was hidden among a load of junk mail. They may not have noticed it before putting it in the bin.”

Candidates standing in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse Holyrood seat echoed voters’ concerns.

SNP candidate Christina McKelvie said: “It’s important to let voters know about these polls and give them proper information to allow them to make an informed choice.

“They are not going to be able to do that if the information leaflet is delivered among junk mail.”

Liberal Democrat Ewan Hoyle said the Electoral Commission leaflet should have been delivered on its own.

He added: “It should be the first thing people see on their doorstep and shouldn’t be concealed in a Farmfoods leaflet.”

Conservative Margaret Mitchell said: “I’d have thought with the chaos from the electronic voting system in the last Scottish Parliament election when there were wasted votes, that every step would have been taken to ensure this information - and the very important information on the Westminster voting referendum - was delivered in isolation.

“It’s essential to ensure voters know what they have to do come election day.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said the Electoral Commission leaflet was a “door-to-door contract” which involved delivering the leaflet alongside other contracted items and private, stamped mail.

He added: “Information is often delivered this way by public bodies. It illustrates that it’s always worth having a look at all your mail before disposing of it.”

An Electoral Commission spokesman said the leaflets were being delivered to 2.5m households in Scotland and the Royal Mail door drop was the “cheapest and most consistent” method of getting them to as many people as possible.

He added: “Unfortunately, we cannot control other mailings that are sent at the same time as our booklet.

“Anyone who's unsure of whether they've got the information or not should head to www.aboutmyvote.co.uk where they can download the information booklet and find out more about the Scottish Parliament election and the referendum on the voting system used to elect MPs.”