PEOPLE who signed up to vote by post in Yate are having to take their ballots into polling stations in person after they arrived late — with at least one voter not receiving his at all.

“Complications” at the Royal Mail sorting office disrupted the delivery of postal vote packs for the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner election, causing about 40 voters to only receive their ballots on Monday. 

But at least one voter hasn’t had his ballot arrive at all — just hours to go before the polls close.

If you still don’t have your postal vote in South Gloucestershire you need to apply in person at the South Gloucestershire Council Office on Badminton Road in Yate by 5pm today.

You will need to being photo ID with you.

Yate man Julian Bartram who still has not received his postal vote said postal voters in the town were “all a bit stuffed really.” He said: “It’s very inconvenient to me because of course the whole point of a postal vote is you do it by post. Also part of the reason I did is I didn’t want to fart around with ID and all that.”

Photo ID needs to be shown when voting in person — but not if voting by post. If you have your postal vote pack, you can hand your postal vote into any polling station in South Gloucestershire  up until polls close at 10pm and do not need voter ID.

But if you are yet to receive your postal vote and need to apply for a new one from the council offices, you will need to bring ID. You will need a new postal vote as you will not be able to vote at a polling station without it if you have signed up for a postal vote.

A spokesperson for South Gloucestershire Council said: “Approximately 40 postal packs were hand delivered by Royal Mail on Monday due to complications at the Royal Mail sorting centre.”

He added: “We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

Polls are open until 10pm. The candidates for police and crime commissioner are Benet Allen (Liberal Democrat), Katy Grant (Green), Clare Moody (Labour), and Mark Shelford (Conservative).

The police and crime commissioner sets the police precept part of council tax, decides how the budget is spent, sets local policing priorities, and can appoint and dismiss the chief constable.

They also hold a regular performance and accountability panel, holding the chief constable and deputy chief constable to account on local issues.