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Do you need to refresh your postal or proxy vote signature?

Some postal and proxy voters in Plymouth will be receiving letters this week asking them to provide a fresh signature.

Signatures often change over time and, by law, councils must ask postal and proxy voters to ‘refresh’ their signature every five years.

If the signature we hold for you is more than five years old you will receive a letter from us, with a form to sign and return in a pre-paid envelope.

Council Chief Executive Tracey Lee said: “When we receive a postal or proxy vote we have to check the signature on the voting statement against the one we hold on file. Signatures can change over time or due to health reasons so it’s really important that the one we hold is an accurate representation.

“We send letters out every year to anyone whose recorded signature is more than five years old. If we ask you to provide a fresh signature please sign and return your form as soon as possible to ensure you can continue to vote by post.”

Letters are being sent to fewer than 15 per cent of postal and proxy voters – if you don’t receive one you don’t need to refresh your signature this year.

Signed forms should be returned as soon as possible but by Monday 1 February to avoid a reminder.

If you are unable to sign your name you (or someone helping you) should contact us for advice – contact details are given in the letter.