Changes to postal votes
Under the Elections Act 2022, all postal voters must now reapply for their postal vote every three years. As part of the application, your identity must be verified.
If you applied for a postal vote before Wednesday 31 January 2024, you must reapply by Saturday 31 January 2026 to continue voting by post.
We will contact electors whose postal votes are due to expire throughout Autumn and Winter 2025/2026 to encourage re-application. Please respond at your earliest convenience to ensure your postal arrangement continues.
If you do not wish to continue voting by post, please contact us to avoid any further reminders being sent.
How to reapply for a postal vote
We will contact you if you need to reapply with details on how to do this, but the quickest and easiest way is to apply online (opens in new window).
You don’t need to wait to hear from us. You can reapply for your postal vote at any time before Saturday 31 January 2026.
Voters who want to apply to vote by post for the first time can do this too, not just those who need to renew.
You’ll need to -
- upload a photo of your handwritten signature in black ink on plain white paper
- provide your National Insurance number to verify your identity
How we will contact you
If we have your email address, we’ll send you an email with instructions on how to reapply for your postal vote. The email will have the subject line “Your Postal Vote Expires Soon – Reapply by 31 January 2026’’ and will be sent using the GOV.UK Notify system.
If we don’t have your email address, we’ll contact you by post during December.
You don’t need to wait to hear from us. You can reapply for your postal vote at any time before Saturday 31 January 2026.
People in the same household may receive their reapplication invitations at different times. This depends on whether we have their email address and when their original application was made.
We’re using email to help reduce costs. Respond as soon as you can.
Whilst online applications are the easiest and most cost-effective way for us to provide our service, we understand that not everyone can or wants to use online services. If you need a paper application form, you can request one using our contact form.
Cancellation of your postal vote
If you are unable to meet the deadline to reapply and your postal vote is then cancelled, we will let you know. You can still make a fresh application either online or by requesting a paper form from us. Tthe deadline to set up, change or cancel a postal vote is 11 working days before an election.
When a postal vote is cancelled, you will still be able to attend your designated polling station in person.
When an election is called, a poll letter is sent to every registered elector to inform them of -
- what type of election is taking place
- when it is taking place
- where to go to vote
We have over 100 polling stations across the city, each for a designated geographical area where residents must attend if voting in person.
Your personal identifiers
The date of birth and signature used in your application are known as your ‘personal identifiers’. When you vote by post, you complete and return a statement giving your personal identifiers, which we then check against those we have on file. If they do not match, your vote cannot be counted. This is to prevent someone else from using your vote.
If you are unable to sign or sign consistently, we may be able to grant what is known as a ‘signature waiver’, depending on your circumstances. This means that a signature is not required. You may also find a different method of voting more convenient. Contact us for more information.
If your name has changed, you will need to re-register to update your electoral registration. This can be done on the GOV.UK website.
You can then submit a new application to vote by post.
Other ways to vote
If you are unable to go to a polling station in person and you don’t want to vote by post, you may be able to appoint someone you trust to vote for you instead. This is called a proxy vote. You can find more information about this on our voting by proxy page.
It is not possible to vote online.