More than 13,500 votes may already have been cast ahead of tomorrow’s national and local elections – 17 per cent of the total number up for grabs.

Watford Borough Council, responsible for administrating a fair and accurate count, confirmed yesterday that a total of 13,736 postal votes had been issued to voters – a rise of 44 per cent compared to the last nationwide poll of 2005.

The figure, which has grown from 3,074 in 2001, compares to a six percent rise in the number of eligible voters – from 76,121 in 2005 to 80,798 today.

Yesterday the Daily Mail reported that police were investigating 50 complaints about attempted electoral fraud across the country – most relating to postal votes.

The paper reported sharp rises in postal vote applications in many key marginal seats, where, like in Watford, all three main parties believe they can win.

It highlighted police investigations in 12 London boroughs, Yorkshire and Derbyshire, where a suspicious number of applications had been sent to single addresses.

There is no suggestion, however, that the numbers of postal votes issued in Watford, or anywhere else in the county, is in any way suspicious.

Hertfordshire Constabulary confirmed this morning that it was not investigating any accusations of voting irregularities.

Nor do the numbers of constituents applying for postal votes in Watford (17 per cent) far exceed the national average of 15 per cent.

The Electoral Commission has also defended the integrity of the voting process, adding that various safety measures had been introduced since the last General Election to improve the safety of the count.

He added: “The number of reports of allegations should also be seen in the context of the total number of votes – at the 2005 general election over twenty-seven million votes were cast”

“The Electoral Commission will continue to monitor the situation closely; meanwhile, anyone who has evidence of fraud taking place should report it to the police.”