‘Ghost votes’ by dead raise spectre of electoral fraud

THE dead are being offered the chance to cast “ghost votes” in next week’s general election, it has emerged.

The news wills raise fears that thousands of postal ballots could have been sent out to voters who have died, putting their vote at risk of being used by somebody else.

The Daily Telegraph has seen evidence of how one voter in central London who died over a year ago received a postal vote and was sent a personal plea for support by the local Labour candidate, Sir Keir Starmer. It is possible for dead voters to remain on the register because postal ballots only have to be formally renewed once every five years.

Unless their next of kin ask for them to be removed from the register they will continue to receive the ballots. This would in theory allow someone to use the vote of a deceased family member or neighbour for years.

The voter’s neighbour, who reported the ballot to his local electoral registration office, said: “It is not unreasonable to suggest that the votes of dead people can be taken over by individuals who wish to abuse the electoral process. Under the present rather sloppy system, based on trust, with unrealistic expectations of integrity and public spirit, there are clearly significant opportunities for electoral fraud”

In 2016, there were 44 allegations of “personation” where voters pretended to be different electors. Only one person was successfully prosecuted.

The Association of Electoral Administrators said safeguards included requiring a voter to print their signature and date of birth on a statement that is sent in with the postal ballot.

John Turner, the association’s secretary, said deceased voters could be picked up when deaths are automatically registered in local areas.

He said: “There will always be the odd anomaly that slips through but in the fullness of time it works itself out.”

The Royal Statistical Society said: “Unless voter registration and identification practices are improved, the ageing UK population, higher turnout of older people, inequalities in life expectancy and the growing use of postal votes may mean future results are influenced by those beyond the grave.”