Welsh council apologises after sending polling cards with wrong election date

Nicholas Thomas – Local Democracy Reporter

A Welsh council has apologised to candidates after it sent voters polling cards displaying the wrong election date.

A by-election is due to be held in the Penmaen ward on Thursday August 31 following the death of Labour councillor Jim Sadler back in May, at the age of 71.

Entries for nominations have closed and Caerphilly County Borough Council began distributing polling cards in the first few days of August.

But those polling cards contained an error, incorrectly referring to “voting on Thursday August 3”.

The correct date also appears on the same side of the card, referring to “polling day” as Thursday August 31.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands the council’s electoral services office has apologised to candidates for the mistake and will send voters new polling cards as a matter of urgency.

The replacement polling cards will reportedly carry a message to ensure voters know that is the card they need for election day.