How do I apply to vote by post?
Fill in the postal vote application form.
Make sure you complete all sections of the form and supply your date of birth and signature. Your
date of birth and signature are needed on this application form, and again when you use your postal
vote. This information is needed to prevent fraud. If you are unable to sign this form, please contact
your electoral registration ofce.
Return your form to your electoral registration ofce. You can nd their details at yourvotematters.co.uk
Please do not return your form to The Electoral Commission.
You must return your postal vote application form by 5pm, 11 working days before the poll.
If you are not already registered to vote, your application to register must have reached your electoral
registration ofce by midnight, 12 working days before the poll.
This form and these deadlines do not apply in Northern Ireland. Visit eoni.org.uk for more information.
Voting by post
Voting by post is an easy and convenient way of voting if you are unable to get to the polling station.
You can use this form to apply to vote by post for a particular election or referendum, for a set period of
time or for all future polls. Postal votes can be sent to addresses in the UK and abroad.
In England and Wales you must be 18 or over on polling day to vote.
In Scotland you must be 16 or over on polling day to vote in local elections and elections to the Scottish
Parliament. You must be 18 or over to vote in elections to the UK Parliament and European Parliament.
Application to vote by post
P1
If you have any questions about voting by post, go to yourvotematters.co.uk or contact your electoral
registration ofce.
In England and Wales, the electoral registration ofce is based at your local council. In Scotland, it may
be a separate ofce.
For contact details, go to yourvotematters.co.uk
Staff at electoral registration ofces will only use the information you provide for electoral purposes.
They will look after personal information securely, follow the Data Protection Act 1998 and they will not
give your personal information to anyone else unless they have to by law.
More information
When an election or referendum is going to be held, your ballot paper will be sent to you in the post.
To nd out when your ballot paper will be issued you can contact your elections team at your local council.
Make sure you return your postal vote so that it arrives by the close of poll, otherwise it will not be
counted. A Freepost envelope is included in your postal ballot pack. But, if you are sending it from
overseas, you may need to pay the postage.
If it is too late to send your vote back by post, you can hand it in on polling day to the elections team
at your council, or drop it off at certain polling stations.
What happens after I’ve returned this form?