Having received the advice regarding the postal vote for the forthcoming election and declaring I am the person to whom the ballot paper was sent, there seems nothing to prevent this being completed by someone else.

Let's presume I have a number of friends who simply couldn't care less about the election.

If they willingly pass the ballot papers on to me, I could put the cross against the candidates of my choice.

Alternatively, a more subtle plan would be to have a voting party: Invite my friends to bring their forms with them and, after a few free drinks, get them to put the crosses in favour of my choice.

There must be other ideas, even to the extent of buying votes, and it is inevitable there will be more returns from postal voting - but can we be sure of their source without the privacy and supervision of the polling booth?

-Ken Chambers, Brighton