Despite the protestations of David Panter, chief executive of Brighton and Hove City Council (Letters, April 23), about retention of privacy in postal voting, the declaration of identity has a number which appears on the ballot paper that accompanies the declaration of identity so this cannot be a secret ballot.

Also, the Instructions to the Voter No 7 states: "At this election you cannot vote in person at a polling station."

Why not? Is it not my democratic right to do so?

Perhaps the political parties involved in this fiasco will reassure voters of the secrecy of the ballot and legality of there being no polling stations.

-Ben Woodfall, Hove