IN ALL the hoo-haa over postal voting, its extreme expense and the many difficulties facing those producing and delivering the papers, let us not forget one basic fact.

If it wasn't for the apathy of the British public over what should be a necessary duty - that of voting for the Government of their choice - this desperate measure by the politicians would never have been considered.

When one reads about the frenetic enthusiasm of other countries to make their voices heard at the ballot box and how much they value this right (which has been hard-fought, even in this country, on the part of women suffragettes) I find it incredible that so many people simply cannot be bothered.

The postal vote may just attract more voters, in spite of all the problems, but fancy having to take this step.

Those non-voters should be ashamed of themselves. How can they ever expect conditions to change when a short trip to a polling station to mark a cross on a voting paper might make all the difference, but is too much for them?

With the pathetic turnout at election time, how can the politicians feel that the voting reflects the true wishes of the British people?

I do not know the answer to these important questions, but I do challenge the apathy and sheer laziness of so many of our once-proud British race.

Heather Causnett,

Escrick Park Gardens,

Escrick, York.

...I WOULD like to thank the UK Independence Party person for enlightening me on his party's manifesto.

As to their obvious loathing of the working time directive, I can inform him that my work colleagues and I are queuing up to work a 70-hour week for £2 per hour and although we have begged the boss to reduce the annual holidays, alas, his hands are tied.

As to being a Euro fanatic, I would point out that my father spent five years fighting Euro fanatics, in those days they were called Nazis and they did not like people with differing opinions.

I would simply like to make an informed decision on this issue. Thanks to people like UKIP and certain sections of the media, this is becoming almost impossible.

So vote UKIP if you want to. I shall be staying wide awake.

Charlie Stone,

Millfield Road,

York.

...I HAVE tried to like the EU. Honestly I have. But it got off to a bad start by basing Common Market entry on the lie of "no federalism".

Am I a dinosaur? Am I a stick-in-the-mud? Am I fearful of change? Am I xenophobic? Am I never able to see 'the big picture'?

No. None of these questions can be answered with a 'yes'. Can the corruption be proved? Now that is a 'yes.' Can the loss of sovereignty be proved? Again, yes. Can we see where the job losses have been? Yes.

Can the lack of democracy be proved? Easily. Can the high levels of expense to every taxpayer be proved? Without even trying.

Can Europhile claims of peace, harmony, prosperity and the benevolent nature of the EU be proved? Sadly, and I genuinely mean this, no.

Voters are readying themselves to punish the Europhile politicians.

I am no longer a member of UKIP but they are the only moderate grouping who are saying what voters want to hear. Do they get my vote? Oh, yes.

Jeanette Jenkinson,

Kingston Road,

Willerby, East Yorkshire.

...SEVERAL constituents concerned about the bar code on their voting slip have contacted me for information. They do have a point.

People rightly value their democratic right to privacy and yet have serious concerns, as the 'vote barcode' exactly matches the one the "declaration of identity". It doesn't take a genius to know that the barcodes could be matched up and a vote could be revealed.

I called the council's electoral and civic services department for clarification. They mentioned that, by law, there has always been an anti-fraud device on the ballot paper, even with traditional elections. Any form of electoral fraud is a criminal offence so safeguards are needed, and as modern technology progresses, it's now a barcode.

There are strict rules on how the votes are handled. The two envelopes are not cross-referenced - in fact, the 'vote envelope' is opened separately, much later in the process than the identity declaration, and is randomly placed with all the other votes, just like in a ballot box.

Postal voting is an excellent way of increasing voter turnout, but the public needs to have their privacy fears allayed if it is to be the success we all want it to be.

Coun Paul Blanchard

Heworth Mews,

York.

...MOTIVATED by Julian Cole's very funny, yet also serious, column (Evening Press, June 3) and various recent letters in the Evening Press, we have now braced ourselves and voted by post.

The fact that one of us was up, panda-eyed, drinking coffee and conscientiously sifting through 'molehills' of paper and envelopes in the early hours while the other one snoozed peacefully is neither here nor there.

We are certain it was the right thing to do.

John and Margaret Lawson,

Aldborough House,

The Groves, York.

Updated: 11:04 Monday, June 07, 2004