Claim: EU Citizens Receiving Referendum Polling Cards Despite Not Being Allowed To Vote

Claims are emerging that European Union (EU) citizens living in the UK are receiving polling cards for next month’s referendum despite not being allowed to vote.

George Eaton, Political Editor of the New Statesman, claims that he knows of EU citizens, specifically Germans and Poles, receiving the cards even though they are officially ineligible to vote in the referendum.

I know of EU citizens who've received polling cards despite not being allowed to vote. Anyone else?

— George Eaton (@georgeeaton) May 31, 2016

@damienhealy Nope, Germans and Poles.

— George Eaton (@georgeeaton) May 31, 2016

Polish citizen Jakub Pawlowski who lives in Kingston, Surrey, also told the Guido Fawkes blog:

“I have been living in UK since 2006 but never applied for British citizenship. I recently bought a house and in December 2015, right after completion, filled the form to get registered on electoral roll. I have selected there that I’m a Polish citizen. I could therefore vote in London mayoral elections this month, however recently I got a polling card for the upcoming referendum on EU membership.”

His local council said that he had been erroneously entered on their database as a UK citizen.

Polling cards are sent out to eligible voters before every election to inform them of the date of the poll and the location of the nearest polling station.

Although they are not ballot papers, it is highly likely that if someone is erroneously sent a card they will likely be recorded as an eligible voter and thus allowed to cast a ballot on the day.

The claims come just days after one local council’s postal voting guide appeared to indicate that voters should choose ‘Remain’.

The step-by-step guide on how to complete your postal ballot by Bristol City Council showed a pencil hovering over the box next to the “Remain a member of the European Union” option.

One voter said: “When I first saw these instructions I was disgusted. The Electoral Commission should never have allowed this to be sent. This is meant to be a democratic referendum and in my opinion these instructions contradict this.”