Cardiff Council Hand-Delivers Replacement Ballots After Senedd Postal Vote Delays

Cardiff Council is urgently investigating why some postal voting packs failed to reach voters ahead of Thursday's Senedd election, with replacement ballots now being hand-delivered to affected households in two constituencies. The delays drew public criticism from Cardiff-based musician Gruff Rhys, who warned that in a tight contest the missing ballots could affect the balance of power.

The Details

Cardiff Council said it had launched an urgent investigation into reports that some voters who applied for postal ballots had not received their packs in time for the 2026 Senedd election. The council identified the missing ballots as tied to a supplementary print run produced for the Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf and Caerdydd Penarth constituencies.

In a statement reported by ITV News Wales, a council spokesperson said: "We have been working urgently to investigate the issue and have identified that the affected packs relate to a supplementary print run for the Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf and Caerdydd Penarth constituencies." The council said it had issued almost 47,000 postal vote packs in total and that more than 26,500 had already been returned by voters.

For those still without their ballots, the council said replacement packs were being hand-delivered on Tuesday to remaining affected households. A small number were also being reissued by priority mail. The council advised voters who receive replacements that they can return their completed ballots directly to delivery staff, submit them at any polling station before 10pm on Thursday, or deliver them to County Hall.

Gruff Rhys, the Cardiff-based musician, added a high-profile voice to the complaints on Instagram. He said he would probably not receive his postal vote before leaving on tour. Rhys called the situation a "fiasco" and said he knew "many others in the same situation." He added: "At worst in a tight election it could even tip the balance of power."

Context

The delays come as Wales holds its first election under a reformed Senedd structure. The number of politicians elected to Cardiff Bay is increasing from 60 to 96, with six candidates now elected in each of 16 constituencies. Under the new system, relatively small numbers of delayed or missing ballots could matter in close seat allocations, particularly where tight margins determine the final list seats available within each constituency.

The Electoral Commission told the BBC it did not believe there were Wales-wide postal voting delays and advised affected Cardiff voters to follow the council's guidance.

However, a discrepancy remains unresolved between the council and Royal Mail. The council and some voters maintain that some postal ballot packs did not reach their intended recipients, while Royal Mail said all items had been processed and delivered. A Royal Mail spokesperson stated: "There are no outstanding postal ballot packs at delivery offices in CF postcode area." The exact root cause of the delivery failure has not been established.

Neither Cardiff Council nor BBC reporting disclosed the exact number of affected voters or households.

At least one housebound voter outside Cardiff, in the Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni constituency, was also still awaiting a replacement ballot according to BBC reporting. This suggests isolated concern beyond the core Cardiff issue even as the Electoral Commission maintained there was no widespread Wales-wide problem. Gruff Rhys's Instagram post was reported by the BBC but had not been independently viewed during the reporting process.

What's Next

The Senedd election takes place on Thursday. Cardiff Council said it is continuing to deliver replacement packs to affected households. Voters who have not received a replacement by Tuesday should contact the council directly. Those who do receive replacements have until 10pm on polling day to return their ballots at any polling station, hand them to delivery staff, or submit them at County Hall. The outcome of any close constituency contests may depend on whether all delayed ballots are returned in time.