A YORK landlord said today he was shocked after being sent two voting packs for the forthcoming Euro election.

James Melsom, of the Nag's Head in Heworth, said the mix-up gave him "no confidence" in the massive postal vote trial.

News of the blunder came after the Evening Press reported how Wheldrake couple John and Pauline Smith also received two voting forms each.

Mr Melsom, 55, said: "I've got one form for the pub and another for my house in Huntington - both in my name.

"It makes you wonder how many other people this has happened to.

"It doesn't give me any confidence whatsoever that this is going to be a fair election."

He joked that he would not be raffling off his duplicate form to punters in the Heworth pub. "Someone might vote for somebody I don't want them to," he quipped.

A City of York Council spokeswoman said: "Our records show that Mr Melsom is registered at an address in Huntington, but is also the registered licensee at the Nags Head in Heworth.

"Although three forms have been sent to the Nags Head asking for details of the residents, Mr Melsom has not returned them.

"Because we do not have any up to date records for residents at the Nags Head, the voting papers have been sent to the registered licensee."

Anyone who has problems with election voting packs should phone the authority's electoral services team as soon as possible on 01904 551050 or 551072.

Meanwhile, the city council said the postal vote process for the June 10 poll was "going well".

Chief executive David Atkinson said: "The postal votes are coming in. They are being processed and the machinery is working well."

He said there was no sign of widespread confusion over voting papers, although a number of papers without signed witnesses were being returned for a "second chance". Mr Atkinson said he was not aware of any problems with Royal Mail ballot paper deliveries in the York area.

York-based Green Party candidate Mark Hill said the party had received an apology from Royal Mail about "considerable failures" in delivering election leaflets on time. Royal Mail today said it was still investigating Coun Hill's complaint.

All the postal ballot papers for next week's European and local elections have now been issued to the Royal Mail after a desperate rush to get them ready, it was disclosed today. The Government confirmed that 100 per cent of the ballot packs had been issued to the Royal Mail shortly after 5am, improving on the 99 per cent total sent out by the deadline of midnight.

Updated: 10:58 Wednesday, June 02, 2004