Validation of EU Referendum Postal Votes for Kirklees Metropolitan Council

The request was successful.

Dear Kirklees Borough Council,

I wish to make the following request under the Freedom of Information Act, 2000:

Could you please provide the following information for the voting area known as Kirklees Metropolitan Council in respect of postal voting in the EU Referendum held on 23rd June 2016

Overseas voting entitlement
a) The TOTAL number of registered overseas voters;
b) The number of overseas voters who have permanent postal vote set up;
c) The number of overseas voters who registered a postal vote specifically for the above referendum ;
d) The number of overseas voters who have a periodic postal vote set up, that entitled them to vote in the above named referendum;
e) The number of overseas voters who had named a proxy to vote on their behalf in the above named referendum;

Number of votes issued and returned:
a) The TOTAL number of postal votes issued;
b The TOTAL number of postal votes returned;
c) The TOTAL number of postal votes rejected;
d) The number of OVERSEAS postal votes issued;
e) The number of OVERSEAS postal votes returned;
f) The number of OVERSEAS postal votes rejected;

In respect of verification of postal votes, could you please confirm what method (or methods) were used to verify the validity of the completed postal vote:
a) Visual comparison of both original documents;
b) Visual comparison where one or more of the comparison documents was a scanned image;
c) Use of automated recognition software and if this method was employed, the name of the software used;
d) Other form of verification (please detail)

Could you please provide the requested information in electronic format, preferably as a device-independent plain text document.

Yours faithfully,

Colin Williams

Freedom Info, Kirklees Borough Council

Dear Mr Williams

I confirm receipt of your information request and that I am looking into this.

I will respond to you in due course.

Regards

Information Access Team
Legal, Governance & Monitoring
Telephone: 01484 221000 (voice activated switchboard – please ask for Freedom of Information)

This email and any attachments are confidential. If you have received it in error - notify the sender immediately, delete it from your system, and do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way. Kirklees Council monitors all emails sent or received.

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Freedom Info, Kirklees Borough Council

Dear Mr Williams

 

I refer to your recent enquiry relating to the above which has been dealt
with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

 

Please find below the Council’s response:

 

Overseas voting entitlement:

 

a)      Approx 1266 overseas electors.  Figures taken from current figures
as figures not available back to EU Referendum.

b)      Current figures show 543 permanent absent votes.

c)       Based on 638 overseas absent votes that were issued for EU
Referendum against the number of current Postal votes that are permanent
an approx. figure of 95 electors used a postal vote for the EU Referendum
only approx.

d)      We currently have 543 permanent absent postal voters.  This
suggests that approx 95 postal voters voted specifically in the EU
Referendum only.

e)      Current figures show 240 overseas proxy voters.

 

Number of votes issued and returned:

 

a)      The total number of Postal votes issued for the EU Referendum was
58,318.

b)      51,315 Postal votes returned.

c)       725 postal votes were rejected.

d)      638 overseas postal votes were issued.

e)      592 overseas postal votes were received.

f)       2 overseas rejections.

 

Verification of postal votes

 

a)      Postal votes opened by postal vote openers.  Ensured that there
was a postal vote statement and ballot paper.  If there was only one of
either the postal vote statement or ballot paper these would be classed as
provisionally rejected and sent to the data clerks whose job it is to
match up any orphaned ballot papers / postal vote statements that can be
then put back into the scanning procedure.

b)      In batches of 50 when possible postal vote statements are scanned
via a unique barcode / reference number to ensure the signature and date
of birth matches the original application form.  This can be viewed by the
scanners for verification.

c)       The postal vote statements were scanned in and receipted /
rejected using the Xpress elections scanning system.

d)      All potential date of birth and signature discrepancies are
adjudicated by a Deputy Returning Officer (DRO).  Postal vote ballot
papers are then sent to the count to be opened and verified.

 

If you are not content with the handling of your request, you have the
right to ask for an internal review.  Requests for internal reviews should
be submitted within 2 months of the date of receipt of the response to
your original request and should be addressed to the Monitoring Officer: 
1st floor, Civic Centre 3, Market Street, Huddersfield HD1 2EY. 
Alternatively, you can send an email to:
[1][email address]. 

 

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.

 

If you are not content with the outcome of any review you have the right
under section 50 of the 2000 Act to apply to the Information Commissioner
for a decision as to whether your request for information has been dealt
with in accordance with the requirements of the Act.  The Information
Commissioner’s website is at [2]www.ico.org.uk and gives more information
about the role and duties of the Commissioner.  The Information
Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office,
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Information Access Team

Legal, Governance & Monitoring

Telephone: 01484 221000 (voice activated switchboard – please ask for
Freedom of Information)

 

This email and any attachments are confidential. If you have received it
in error - notify the sender immediately, delete it from your system, and
do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way. Kirklees Council
monitors all emails sent or received.

 

 

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