With a General Election coming up in the UK I decided to make sure that I would be able to vote from here in Australia. I had visions of filling out a couple of forms and then being able to stroll into the local embassy on election day and fill out my ballot paper.
How wrong could I be? Voting at embassies and consulates is explicitly stated as not an option. You need to register with the Borough where you were last a recorded voter. You can then register to vote by post or by proxy. However, if you go for a postal vote it states that the postal ballots will be sent out approximately four days before the election. The letter won't even make it to Australia in that time, let alone fill it out and return it.
This means that your only realistic option is to nominate a proxy to vote for you. But what happens if you don't know anyone / feel comfortable asking another person in your Borough to vote for you? You are effectively disenfranchised.
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Can you nominate someone who doesn't live in the constituency you normally vote in? I could pop down....
ReplyDeleteI didn't think you would be able to, but reading it isn't forbidden so I might give it a go.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the offer BE. I will send you an email.
...and to think we get fined for not voting!
ReplyDelete