Scottish Parliament election postal votes review published
Aberdeenshire Council’s internal review of the non-receipt of postal vote packs in the Peterhead South and Boddam area in the 2026 Scottish Parliament election has been published.
The review confirms a significant concentration of reported non-receipt of postal vote packs in the constituency. It records the concerns raised and the practical arrangements put in place to assist electors, including replacement packs, local identity-verification support and hand delivery.
The review has not been able to establish a definitive explanation for the reported non-receipt. The evidence points away from a problem with the transfer of postal voter data, and the supplier advised that the packs were printed and dispatched in full.
Royal Mail’s further review did not identify an operational issue that would explain the circumstances reported. However, the available records cannot confirm delivery to each affected address.
The report includes an action plan covering earlier identification of localised issues, clearer escalation arrangements, replacement capacity, and voter communications.
The findings will inform the council’s preparations for the 2027 local government elections, and wider issues about postal delivery assurance will be raised with national electoral colleagues.
Aberdeenshire Council Chief Executive and election Returning Officer Jim Savege said: “The review into the missing postal vote packs for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election has been thorough but it has unfortunately not been possible to definitively establish why the reports of non-receipt of postal voting packs were concentrated in parts of Peterhead South and Boddam. And while the review was primarily focused on the processes around preparing and issuing the postal vote packs, it has not found that the election result itself was affected.
“The review examined every stage of the process and we have been able to evidence with absolute certainty that there were no problems with the postal voter data sent between the Grampian Electoral Registration Office, Aberdeenshire Council and Idox; the council’s postal vote print and management supplier.
“There is also clear evidence that the postal vote packs had been printed and dispatched in full by our supplier. Whilst Royal Mail advised it had not identified any mail centre, delivery office or other operational issue that would explain the circumstances described, it cannot provide the same level of assurance that we have for other parts of the postal vote process that the packs were delivered.
“I am now taking forward an action plan to further strengthen arrangements for future elections, including around the way we log issues that are raised, and how we escalate and address matters earlier if required. There will also be work around replacement postal vote arrangements and more public-facing communications as we continue work to minimise risks around what is a very complex process.”
The review document can be read in full at: https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/SPE2026#review