A POLLING card delivery glitch won’t prevent Sidmouth and Ottery residents from having their say at Thursday’s East Devon District Council (EDDC) elections.

A POLLING card delivery glitch won’t prevent Sidmouth and Ottery residents from having their say at Thursday’s East Devon District Council (EDDC) elections.

The authority revealed a “significant number” of cards vanished after they were collected by Royal Mail and never reached their intended recipients.

The council’s returning officer has moved to reassure the electorate they can still vote even if they don’t have a valid polling card.

Anyone on the electoral register can take part in the ballot.

Mark Williams said: “It’s obviously of concern to voters and to candidates that the turnout should not be affected by this glitch.

“I want to assure every voter that a polling card is merely an information provider and it is not necessary to take it with you to the polling station on election day (Thursday, May 5).

“So long as your name is on the electoral register you’re eligible to vote. You can go along to your local polling station at any time from 7am to 10pm and your vote will be accepted.

“Staff manning the polling stations have lists of all people in that ward who are eligible to vote. They will check your name on the list, tick it off, and hand you a voting slip. That’s all there is to it”.

EDDC said that, on March 28, Royal Mail collected poll cards for all those on the register and eligible to vote but “a significant number” were not delivered.

“It is clearly too late to send out new polling cards to all those affected, but this is not necessary due to the fact that you can vote without one,” he added.

In Sidmouth, a total of nine candidates will battle it out for four seats in the Sidmouth town and rural wards.

Read results as they happen at www.sidmouthherald.co.uk from 9am on Friday or follow the Sidmouth Herald on Twitter.

Anyone wishing to check they are on the electoral register can call (01395) 516 551.