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"Disproportionate" Public Health guidance that instructed people in self-isolation to quarantine their postal vote for 72 hours has been hastily shelved on the penultimate day of voting.
Public Health has "quickly reviewed" the guidance provided last week instructing that those in self-isolation should keep their postal ballots ‘quarantined’ for 72 hours before they are posted or opened.
Postal votes have to be posted by 06:00 on Wednesday 7 October at the latest, in time for them to be received by 20:00 that evening, or placed in the Sir Charles Frossard House postbox anytime before 20:00 tomorrow.
This morning, Public Health announced that it had u-turned on its original advice, saying that people in self-isolation should instead employ good hand hygiene when handling their postal ballots.
Pictured: Postal votes have to be posted by 06:00 on Wednesday in order to reach the election team before the deadline.
"Given there is at the moment no indication of community seeding of Covid-19 in the community and no requirement for other on-island restrictions, it is not necessary to ask those self-isolating to keep their postal ballots ‘quarantined’," said a spokesman for the States.
"Instead Public Health would ask that those self-isolating use good hand hygiene when handling their postal ballots. They cannot leave their self-isolation but they can ask a friend or family member to collect the ballot for them, provided they do not come into contact with that person. Alternatively they can contact the Election Office on 01481 747579 who can provide assistance."
Registrar-General of Electors Colette Falla said it was essential that all guidance was proportionate.
“I’m grateful to Public Health for quickly responding to what has clearly caused concern for voters in self-isolation, and for looking at the guidance with a clear view of what is and isn’t proportionate," she said.
????️Watch a handy guide on how to complete your postal vote. Your postal vote will be with you this week
— Guernsey Election 2020 (@GSYElection2020) September 29, 2020
Remember if you've opted for a postal vote you will not be issued with a ballot paper in a polling station
Make sure you complete & return yours by 8pm on 7 Oct #CountMeIn pic.twitter.com/k8vwNHkYm7
Pictured: A video explaining how to complete your postal vote if you haven't already.
"Clearly this election is the first of its kind and is having to be organised in extraordinary circumstances which is throwing up questions and challenges that no one has dealt with before, but all areas of the public sector involved are working incredibly hard to resolve any issues as quickly as possible.
"I hope this will reassure those who are self-isolating who were worried it might affect their ability to take part in this first island-wide General Election.”
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