System nears crisis point as main parties are told to stop interferingThe three main political parties were yesterday urged to withdraw from active participation in the postal-voting system amid fears that public confidence in the process has reached crisis point.
Returning officers and officials from the Electoral Reform Society have called on Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats to place strict curbs on their activists to ensure there is minimum party intervention in voting procedures. They have reiterated that, except in very limited circumstances, there should be "no third party intervention".
However, the Guardian has established that party officials and candidates are still seeking to involve themselves in the process of applying for postal votes by sending forms direct to electors and asking them to complete and return them to their offices.
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