ELECTORAL officers are anticipating a bumper turn out at this year's local elections as Bolton prepares to vote entirely by post.

The council is one of a small number of local authorities conducting a trial of postal voting in the May elections.

For the first time, no-one will have a trek to a polling station. It is hoped the postal ballot will make voting easier and more convenient -- and consequently encourage more people to vote.

The turn out increased by five per cent during the borough's first experiment with postal voting in 2000 which was confined to the wards of Smithills, Farnworth and Bromley Cross.

More than 206,000 ballot papers in envelopes marked with a purple flash across one corner will be sent out on April 14. Returning officer Bernard Knight said: "It's probably the biggest post the authority has ever done and we have worked closely with Royal Mail to ensure things go smoothly."

Elections officer Steven Blyth said he was hoping the new system would improve on the turnout of just 31 per cent in last year's Bolton council elections.

"People's lives are busier these days and it was decided to do something to make voting more convenient for people," he said.

Mr Blyth said he was confident the system was not open to abuse.

"We have carried out a canvas of the borough to make sure our register is bang up to date," he said.

"On top of that, we have done everything we reasonably can to make sure the system cannot be taken advantage of."

Residents are advised to return their forms via freepost by Tuesday, April 29, although forms will be accepted up to 9pm on Thursday, May 1, and can be handed in at the chief executive's reception office at the Town Hall.

However, officers are keen to stress that, as in all local elections, an individual's vote will always remain a secret.

Voters in Blackrod, Horwich and Westhoughton will also receive a ballot paper for parish council elections which will be held on the same day.

Officers are reminding residents they can vote for only one candidate in the borough election while in the parish elections they can choose up to three.

Anyone who does not receive a voting form by April 20 should contact the council on 01204 333 333.

Meanwhile voters in Adlington will be able to submit their vote by post, phone or via the internet.

Chorley Council is among the four local authorities to offer their electorate three different methods of voting.

Martin O'Loughlin, Chorley Council's deputy returning officer, said the Council had decided to repeat the system following last year's success when Chorley had the highest turnout in the country with 61.5 per cent of people voting.

Electors will receive a voting pack through their door containing full instructions on how to vote by any one of the three options.