GB2396328A

GB2396328A - Secure postal return device for postal voting

Info

Publication number: GB2396328A
Application number: GB0223880A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tim Matthews; Nick Smith
Original assignee: Smith & Ouzman Ltd
Current assignee: Smith & Ouzman Ltd
Priority date: 2002-10-14
Filing date: 2002-10-14
Publication date: 2004-06-23
Also published as: GB0223880D0

Abstract

The device is a mailer having sections 7, 8 and 9 which are defined by perforations 10 to facilitate separation. Each section bears the same identifier 17. When used for postal voting, a voter's address 2 is printed on a section 9 of sheet 1. The sheet is folded so that the address 2 is visible through the window of an envelope for dispatch. The sheet 1 carries the declaration of identity 4, ballot paper 3, and instructions 11. A backless envelope body 12 is secured to section 8 of the sheet 1 with a Hunkeler machine. The components are separated by the voter who completes ballot paper 3, inserts it into envelope 8,12, seals the envelope using gum 13 on flap 14, and inserts this envelope and completed declaration 4 in a return envelope.

Description

Secure Postal Return Means This invention relates to secure postal return

means for use in particular, but not exclusively, with postal ballot papers.

Postal ballots involve a ballot paper being sent by post to the home of a registered voter. The voter then marks their ballot paper, and sends it back by post to the returning officer. The system has become increasingly popular in areas with a low turn out at voting stations. However, it is vital to ensure that the correct ballot paper is sent to each voter, and that it is marked by that voter alone. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that each ballot paper sent back to the returning officer is genuine.

In order to provide for the necessary security, each voter is sent an envelope containing a ballot paper, a sealable ballot paper envelope and a return envelope.

A declaration of identity may also be included if required.

The envelope, the ballot paper, the ballot paper envelope and the declaration of identity are all marked with the same security number.

With this arrangement each returned item can be checked for its authenticity, and fraudulent ballot papers can be identified.

However, the packaging of the above items is very time consuming. Each envelope must be provided with the correctly numbered ballot paper, ballot paper envelope, and declaration of identity. Each envelope is checked again, and sometimes a further time, to ensure the correct items, and the correct items alone, are present in each envelope. This process takes a great deal of time, and involves a large number of personnel. It has been known to cost more than ú 1.00 per voter to provide this service in UK local council elections.

-2- The present invention is intended to overcome some of the above problems. According to the present invention secure postal return means comprises dispatching means, one or more communication elements and returning means, in which the components are provided with identification means, and in which the components are releasably attached to one another for dispatching.

The dispatching means may be an envelope carrying the recipient's postal address. In a preferred construction the dispatching means is a ticket of paper, or similar material, carrying the address, which is placed inside an envelope provided with a clear window, through which the address is visible.

The communication element can be anything upon which a communication can be made, for example a confirmation form, a competition entry, or anything similar. In a preferred construction the element is a postal ballot paper.

It will be appreciated that a number of communication elements can be included. In a preferred construction a postal ballot paper and a declaration of identity are included.

The returning means may be an envelope carrying a postal address. However, in one construction the returning means comprises a sealed envelope for containing one or more of the communications elements, and an outer envelope carrying a postal address.

Preferably the dispatching envelope carries the address of one registered voter, and the returning envelope carries the address of an election returning officer, or other appropriate official.

In a preferred construction the secure postal return means comprises a single sheet of paper, adapted to be separated into three smaller sheets of paper. The single sheet can be provided with perforations so it can be torn into three smaller pieces.

-3- The single sheet of paper can comprise a first section with a ballot paper printed thereon, a second section comprising a sealable return envelope, and a third section with a declaration of identity printed thereon.

In one construction the voter's postal address can be provided on the rear of the sheet of paper. (It will be appreciated that the voter's details cannot be provided in the rear of the section carrying the ballot paper). In a preferred construction the voter's address is printed on the rear of the third section.

The second section can comprise a base sheet of paper with a backless envelope body secured thereon by a Hunkler machine or similar.

The identification means can be any known type of recordable media. In a preferred construction the identification means is the same printed number, which is printed on the first section, the second section and the front and the rear of the third section.

It will be appreciated that further identification means can be included, for example a water mark or other anti-counterfeiting means, on any one of the sections.

Preferably the first, second and third sections form a single piece of substantially AS sized paper. The first section can comprise approximately one longitudinal half of the sheet, and the second and third sections can comprise approximately half of the remaining area each. In one construction the first section is approximately 16.5 cm wide, to accommodate the required font size for UK ballot papers. The sections can be defined by the bearable perforations.

In use the A3 sheet can be folded up in half along its width and along its length to form a substantially As sized item. The folding up can be arranged so that the rear of the third section carrying the voter's address is exposed. The item can then be placed in an envelope with a clear window, such that the voter's address

-4- element is visible through the window. The outer return postal envelope can also be contained in the envelope with the clear window.

The invention also includes a method of manufacturing secure postal return means comprising dispatching means, one or more communication elements and returning means, in which the components are provided with identification means, in which the components are releasably attached to one another for dispatching, and in which the components are formed from a single piece of paper which can be separated into sections, one section comprising an envelope, including the steps of: 1) Creating perforations to define the sections, 2) Securing a backless envelope body to one section, 3) Printing the sections with the desired information and/or identification means.

The above method can be performed with numbers 1 and 2 reversed. The invention can be performed in various ways but one embodiment will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a secure postal return means according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a rear view of the means shown in Figure 1; and, Figure 3 is a front view of the means shown in Figure 1 and 2 folded up for use.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3 secure postal return means 1 comprises a voter's postal address 2, a ballot paper 3, a declaration of identity 4, a sealable ballot paper envelope 5 and an outer return envelope (not shown).

-5- The secure postal return means 1 comprises a single sheet of substantially AS sized paper 6, comprising a first section 7, a second section 8 and a third section 9. The sections 7, 8, and 9 are defined by bearable perforations 10.

The first section 7 has the ballot paper 3 printed on the front, and instructions to voters 11 on the rear.

The second section 8 has a backless envelope body 12 secured thereon, which is provided with a gummed sealing element 13 on the flap 14. The backless envelope body 12 has been secured to the second section 8 with a Hunkler machine. The second section 8 also has the intended recipients details 15 on the front, and labelling 16 on the rear. The third section 9 has the declaration of identity 4 printed on the front, and the voter's address 2 printed on the rear.

The first section 7, the second section 8 and the front and the rear of the third section 9 are all labelled with the same security identification number 17.

As shown in Figure 3 the sheet of paper 6 can be folded in half along its length and its width, to form a substantially As sized item 18. The rear of the third section 9 which carries the voter's address 2, is exposed. The item 18 is then placed in an envelope 19 with a clear window 20, for dispatch.

In use the means 1 is dispatched in the envelope 19, along with a return envelope (not shown). When the voter received the means 1, they mark their ballot paper 3, and remove the first section 7 from the second 8 and third 9 sections.

The voter then removes the second section 8 from the third section 9, and places their ballot paper in the envelope provided by the second section 8. The envelope is then sealed with the gummed

-6- element 13. The voter then signs the declaration of identity 4, and places the second 8 and third 9 sections in the return envelope (not shown), and sends the means 1 back to the returning officer.

The means 1 is constructed as follows: 1) The perforations 10 are created to define the sections 7, 8 and 9, 2) The backless envelope body 12 is secured to the front of the second section 8, 3) The sheet of paper 6 is printed with the voter's address 2, the ballot paper 3, the declaration of identity 4, the instructions to voters 11, the address 15, the information 16, and the security numbers 17.

Thus a secure postal return means is provided which includes all the security elements required for a postal vote, and which can be packaged and dispatched in a short time, without the need to for further checking.

Claims

( -7 Claims

1. Secure postal return means comprising dispatching means, one or more communication elements and returning means, in which each component is provided with the same identification means, and in which the components are releasably attached to one another for dispatching.

2. Secure postal return means as claimed in Claim 1 in which the communication elements comprise a postal ballot paper and a declaration of identity.

3. Secure postal return means as claimed in Claim 2 in which the dispatching means comprises an envelope carrying a dispatch postal address.

4. Secure postal return means as claimed in Claim 3 in which the dispatching means comprises a piece of paper carrying a dispatch postal address and an envelope provided with a clear window, in which when the piece of paper is placed inside the envelope the dispatch postal address is visible through the clear window.

5. Secure postal return means as claimed in Claim 4 in which the returning means comprises an envelope carrying a return postal address.

6. Secure postal return means as claimed in Claim 6 in which the returning means comprises a inner envelope for containing said one or more communication elements, and an outer envelope carrying a return postal address.

7. Secure postal return means as claimed in any of the preceding Claims in which the secure postal return means comprises a single sheet of paper, adapted to be separated into three smaller sheets of paper.

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8 8. Secure postal return means as claimed in Claim 7 in which the single sheet of paper comprises a first section comprising the postal ballot paper, a second section comprising the inner envelope and a third section comprising the declaration of identity.

9. Secure postal return means as claimed in Claim 8 in the dispatch postal address is printed on the rear of the third section.

10. Secure postal return means as claimed in Claim 9 in which the second section comprises a base with a backless envelope body secured thereon by a Hunkler machine.

11. Secure postal return means as claimed in Claim 10 in which the single piece of paper is substantially AS in size, and the first section comprises substantially one longitudinal half of the sheet of paper, and the second and third sections comprises substantially half of the other longitudinal half of the sheet of paper.

12. Secure postal return means as claimed in Claim 11 in which the first section is substantially 16.5 cm wide.

13. Secure postal return means as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 12 in which the piece of paper can be folded in half along its width and folded in half along its length to form a substantially A5 sized item, and in which when the piece of paper is folded up into a substantially A5 sized item the rear of the third section is exposed.

14. Secure postal return means as claimed in any of the preceding Claims in which the identification means is the same printed number, which is carried on the first section, the second section and the front and the rear of the third section.

15 Secure postal return means substantially as described herein and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

-9- 16. A method of manufacturing secure postal return means comprising dispatching means, one or more communication elements and returning means, in which each component is provided with the same identification means, in which the components are releasably attached to one another for dispatching, and in which the components are formed from a single piece of paper which can be separated into sections, one section comprising an envelope, including the steps of: 1) Creating perforations in the piece of paper to define the sections, 2) Securing a backless envelope body to one section, or printing the sections with the desired information and/or identification means.

3) Securing a backless envelope body to one section, or printing the sections with the desired information and/or identification means, which ever was not performed in step 2).