THOUSANDS of voters in Worcester and Wychavon have decided to shape the future of their district council by post.

Guildhall staff in Worcester will have mailed out nearly 5,000 postal voting forms by the time the local elections are held on Thursday, May 1 - an increase of more than 50 per cent on last year.

And almost 7,000 voters in Wychavon are set to receive their ballot paper by post over the next few days, after receiving a postal vote application as part of their polling card for the first time.

Richard Dear, the city council's electoral services officer, said that following the Government's 2001 initiative to relax the rules governing votes by post, more and more people are taking up the opportunity to record their election choice by mail.

"It is an easy way of voting," he said. "Electors simply fill in the ballot paper and send it back.

"I am not surprised that the number of people choosing a postal vote is growing, though the scale of the increase this year has been greater than we expected," he added.

In Worcester city 71,598 residents are eligible to vote on May 1.

There will be 62 polling stations open in the 12 wards, with 125 staff on duty. The polls open at 8am and the count starts at the Guildhall at 9pm.

Last year, the turnout in the wards varied between 20 per cent and 46.98 per cent.

Wychavon District Council pulled out all the stops this year to encourage residents to have their say.

Banners have been erected around the district, a beer mat campaign and competition was launched and a four-page election guide published in The Wychavon Magazine.

"Wychavon wants as many people as possible to use their right to vote and turn up to polling stations to determine how the district will be run in the future," said democratic services manager, Amanda de Warr.