Birmingham and London voters caught up in envelope error

Birmingham voters run the risk of sending their forms to London by mistake

A "printing mix-up" has led to an estimated 20,000 people being encouraged to return electoral registration forms to the wrong city.

Returning the information requested on the forms is a legal requirement and failing to do so risks a £1,000 fine.

Some Birmingham residents have been sent forms with return envelopes addressed to Ealing Council in London and vice versa.

Both councils are investigating how the error happened.

The forms seek confirmation of who lives at the address to which they have been sent in order to check people's eligibility to vote.

Birmingham City Council estimates 20,000 people could be affected its end - about five percent of the electorate in a city where the deadline for responding is 7 September.

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"Don't lose your vote" people are reminded on an important form that could end up in the wrong city

Birmingham resident Allen Pritchard received a return envelope with a London address but spotted the error before posting.

He told the BBC the situation was "a mess", adding: "You could possibly face a £1,000 fine and what if someone was missed off the electoral register because their letter's gone missing?"

"You don't give it a thought, do you? You just put it in the envelope and send it off."

Laura Lock, deputy chief executive at the Association of Electoral Administrators, said there was "nothing to worry about".

She said: "The worst that would happen is residents would be asked again for the information they provided."

Envelope insertion

A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said "we believe that there may have been a mix-up in the inserting of envelopes" at the print contractor used by both authorities.

Responding online or over the phone are alternatives to using the postal system and each affected council has advised residents to pursue those options.

They say arrangements are in place for forms caught up in the issue to be exchanged swiftly.

A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said resolving the problem would "come at no extra cost to either local authority".