View Gallery Problems with new software for checking postal votes could undermine confidence in next month's council elections, say returning officers.

However, it has been reported that up to 100 councils in England are having problems with the scanning technology, with the equipment still not having arrived in some areas.

"If people have real problems in saying that is a good signature, a bad signature, open to challenge, confidence goes in the election and that is just what we don't want in this climate when we are trying to redress the balance of apathy."

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