A WOMAN from Launceston has expressed her anger at Cornwall Council and claims she was deprived of her right to vote in the General Election.

Melinda Pearson turned out to Launceston Town Hall on Thursday, December 12 to cast her vote in the General Election, but was horrified when she was told her name was not on the register, despite receiving her polling card on November 27.

Melinda said she had received her polling card and had applied for postal vote, but never received it. When she and her husband went to vote on election day, they were disappointed to be turned away. Afterwards, the couple phoned Cornwall Council to demand answers and they were told they would need to travel all the way to St Austell in order to cast their votes, and that the same problem had happened to some others across the county.

Melinda said: “I am entitled to that vote and I am entitled to have a say in who runs this country. I never received my postal vote card. How many people have lost out on their right to vote because of this?”

A spokesperson from Cornwall Council said: “We cannot comment on the specific case, but generally when someone has a postal vote it means they will be unable to vote in person at a polling station, other than by handing in their filled-in postal vote form at any polling station within their constituency. If someone does not receive their postal vote then they can apply for a replacement up until 5pm on polling day.

“If you apply on polling day then you are required to collect the reissued postal pack from our offices at St Austell where our elections staff are on hand to help.”