As I trudge around canvassing I am reminded by colleagues that it is more productive to spend time checking if existing Conservative supporters need Postal Vote forms rather than trying to convert opponents.
But what of those serving abroad in the armed forces? They need to be sent Proxy Vote forms rather than Postal Vote forms. The issue was raised in Parliament today.
Mr. Andrew Robathan (Blaby) (Con): I draw my hon. Friend’s attention to column 288 at yesterday’s Prime Minister’s questions, when it was pointed out that the Army Families Federation has carried out trials showing that the majority of troops serving overseas will be unable to vote. In order to maximise voter participation, will my hon. Friend speak again to the Electoral Commission and take on board the point that I have made before, which is that there should be one registration when people join the armed forces and an encouragement to cast proxy votes, so that when they serve their country abroad, which involves the possibility of dying for their country, they have the opportunity to vote?
Mr. Streeter: That is a very important matter, and the Electoral Commission is extremely alive to it. The commission is working closely with the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Defence, Royal Mail, the British Forces Post Office and electoral administrators to ensure that everything is done to improve the situation. Given the tight time scales involved in exercising a postal vote once a general election is called, my hon. Friend makes an extremely important point that proxy voting may be the right answer. The commission is certainly aware of that.
I would have thought that rather than relying on the Government or the Electoral Commission to do anything about it friends and relatives of soldiers should post them off Proxy Vote forms straight away to ensure they are not disenfranchised.
