How to apply for, and make changes to, your postal vote.
Renew your postal vote
There have been recent changes to postal votes, including all postal votes now have an expiry date.
We are contacting everyone who had registered to vote by post before 31 October 2023, asking you to renew. This will give you some time to re-apply for your postal vote and it will help us process all the renewals efficiently.
Please visit our renew your postal vote page for more information.
Check if you are registered to vote by post
Tell us about who you are, and we will let you know how you are registered to vote.
Check how you are registered to vote
Apply for or renew a postal vote
Use the government's service to apply to vote by post in elections.
Apply to vote by post
Cancel your postal vote
If you have a postal vote you can let us know you want to cancel it.
Request that your postal vote is cancelled
Make a change to your postal vote
If you change your name, please make a new postal vote application.
Apply for a new postal vote
About voting by post
Voting by post is easy. If you are on the electoral register, you can apply to vote by post.
You can vote by post at just one election, for a set period, or to last as long as you like. However you must reapply for a postal vote every 3 years, or every time you move home.
Each person has to apply for their own postal vote, as you will need to sign the application form.
We will use the information you provide as a check against the security statement you complete with your ballot paper at an election.
If you can't provide a consistent specimen signature
If you cannot provide a signature or one that always looks the same, you may be able to apply for a postal vote signature waiver. Please see GOV.UK's apply for a postal vote page for more information.
How to complete your postal vote
Once you have received your postal vote pack, you need to complete it by following the instructions in the pack.
Returning your postal vote
We must receive your completed postal vote by no later than 10pm on election day.
Using Royal Mail
The best way to return your postal vote pack is by posting it in a Royal Mail post box using the pre-paid envelope we provide. This way you do not have to do anything else.
Please allow enough time for your postal vote pack to reach us through the post.
Returning your postal pack by hand – extra steps to take
If you hand deliver your completed pack, for example, to a polling station or at the council offices, you will need to complete an extra form. Our staff will help you with this. If you do not fill in the form, we will have to reject your postal vote.
You can hand deliver your own pack and no more than 5 other postal packs.
If you are a campaigner, you can only hand in your own postal vote, and those of close relatives or people for whom you provide regular care.
Please do not leave your postal vote in any council office post boxes, reception points or a polling station desk without completing the extra form, or we will have to reject it.
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