Disposing of election materials incorrectly could land you with a fine or prison sentence. (Image: Getty)
Experts have issued a warning to the public ahead of the General Election of simple mistakes that could land you a hefty fine or prison sentence.
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A range of election material has been published and sent out all over the country, including leaflets and adverts promoting the election and candidates, as well as documents regarding the postal vote and voting slips.
Failure to throw these out properly could be a civil offence leading to a ￡200 fine, but in the most serious case a criminal prosecution could follow with the maximum punishment a two year prison sentence.
If a postal ballot is wrongly pushed through your letterbox, disposing of it rather than informing the authorities could be classed as a criminal offence.
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Under the Representation of the People Act 1983, causing a communication relating to a postal vote or proxy ballot not to be delivered to the intended recipient is an offence which carries a maximum two year prison term.
READ MORE: Voters warned over photo ID expiry date and ‘small difference' rule
If you are incorrectly mailed a postal vote, do not throw it away. (Image: Getty)
Election slips should not be disposed of in public bins to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of the electoral process. Improper disposal can compromise voter privacy, leading to potential identity theft or intimidation, and undermine public trust.
Letters or documents containing private information such as your name, address or bank details - which includes election campaigning material - should be destroyed and discarded in your household bin. If disposed of incorrectly in public bins, you could face a ￡200 fine.
Dean Botham, spokesperson at LitterBins.co.uk, said: "We urge everyone to be careful when disposing their election campaign materials, as improper disposal could lead to fines of up to ￡200, or even a prison sentence.
"As people may or may not know, documents including promotional voting material, postal vote letters and voting slips, which have been posted through your door, all count as household waste, so they should not be thrown away in public bins.
"It is essential that these documents are thrown away correctly, as household waste, to protect voter privacy, comply with legal guidelines and to protect public health and the environment.
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"It serves as a reminder that all documents containing personal details should be shredded at home in order to ensure they are disposed of in the correct manner whilst retaining both privacy and confidentiality."
Make sure all election slips, or associated documents are disposed of in your own household bin.
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All documents containing your name and address should be shredded in order to retain privacy and confidentiality. Shredding is a common way to destroy documents, as it is quick, easy and cost-effective.
Some businesses, including banks and recycling companies, offer "shred days" - these involve offering specific time periods where waste can be disposed of safely by professionals.
For those without access to the above, documents can be safely disposed of by shredding by hand or dissolving the papers in water.
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