What is postal voting?
Instead of voting in person at a polling
station when there is an election, you can choose to have your
ballot papers sent to you which you can then return in a freepost
envelope. Your postal vote will be issued just over a week before
the day of poll and has to be returned by the close of poll for it
to be counted.
Who can apply for a postal vote?
Anyone can apply to vote by post but you must be registered to
vote first. You can apply at any time but forms must be returned by
5.00pm, 11 days before election day for them to be valid for that
election. You can choose whether to vote by post for a particular
election, for a set period of time or for all future elections. You
can have your ballot papers sent to the address where you are
registered to vote or an alternative address but you must provide a
reason for doing so. We can send ballot papers worldwide but as
they are only posted a week before election day you need to ensure
that there is enough time to receive, complete and return them
otherwise they may not be counted. You may find it more convenient
to appoint somebody else to vote on your behalf as a proxy (see
below).
What happens after I’ve returned my form?
Your postal vote will be issued about a week before the day of
election. If it does not arrive you can contact us and we can
provide you with a replacement ballot paper. We can also re-issue
your ballot paper if you have lost the original or spoilt it in
some way. Once you have your ballot paper you need to complete it
and return it in the freepost envelope provided together with the
postal voting statement which includes your date of birth and
signature. These will be checked against your application form to
ensure your vote is kept safe. You can either post the ballot
papers back to us or hand it into a polling station on election day
as long as it is within the same electoral area. New regulations
will enable you to contact us to check if your returned ballot
papers have been received.
How do I apply to vote by post?
If you are a resident you can download an application form
below.
Download a residents postal vote application
form (8kb)
If you are a Crown Servant, British Council Employee or Service
Voter (or spouse or civil partner of one) download your form
below:
Download a Crown Servant / British Council
Postal Form
Download an overseas postal vote
form (77kb)
Download a Service Postal Form (78kb)
If you have been appointed as a voter for your business or other
organisation on the City of London ward lists you can download a
form below:
Download a Business Postal Vote
Form (9kb)
Make sure you complete all sections and supply your date of
birth and signature in the boxes provided. It is an offence to
supply false information on this form. Once completed, please
return it to the address on the bottom of the form.