Voters have expressed concern after campaign letters supporting the alternative vote (AV) system landed on their doorstep with the council’s return address.

Joan Russell, of St Margarets Road, Twickenham, was so “livid” about the forms she wrote to the Daily Telegraph.

She said the Yes to Fairer Votes campaign’s postal vote applications - which encourage residents to support AV in the May 5 referendum - looked like official Richmond Council documents.

She said: “It looks to all intents and purposes this is from the council, because it says return it to the council. I felt livid that the council dares to tell me to vote yes in the referendum.

“I’m bursting at the seams I’m so cross.”

Gillian Norton, chief executive and electoral registration officer at Richmond Council, said: “Both national campaigns for the referendum on the voting system to elect MPs are entitled to receive a copy of the electoral register and postal vote list to use in their campaigning.

“The ‘Yes to Fairer Votes’ campaign have used these lists to send a leaflet and postal vote form to 44,000 households in the borough. Richmond Council is not paying for the ‘freepost envelope’ provided with these as the council is not promoting either of the national campaigns.”

The Yes to Fairer Votes campaign said its forms complied with Electoral Commission regulations.

Anyone concerned about the leaflets should call the Electoral Commission on 0800 3280 280, or email info@electoralcommission.org.uk