Voting by Post

Postal Vote Applications  can now be made online and must include your National Insurance Number 

To be able to vote you must be registered. If you are not already registered, you can register to vote at any time. Registering puts you on the 'register of electors', which is the list of everyone who is registered to vote. If you are registered you will be sent a card called a poll card just before an election. Your poll card is for your information and you don't actually need it to be able to cast your vote.

If you change your name or address you will need to complete a new application.

Postal voting: a step by step guide:

Look out for the white envelope with purple edges that is usually sent out two weeks before polling day. Please take great care with the contents. If you lose or destroy them you will need to contact us immediately.

Open the outer envelope. Inside the outer envelope there will be:

1. One Return Envelope 'B'
2. A single document of instructions explaining how to complete your paperwork
3. Ballot Paper Envelope 'A', which contains your ballot paper(s), with a security statement attached to it

Take great care not to mix up your documents with anyone else’s in the house.

You can detach the instructions that explain how to complete your paperwork, but do not detach the security statement.

On the security statement, using black pen write your date of birth in the boxes and sign your signature in the boxed area. Take care to use your usual signature. If your signature or date of birth varies from the records you supplied to us previously, your vote will be rejected. This is an anti-fraud security measure.

In a private place, mark your ballot paper(s) as instructed.

When completed, fold the ballot paper(s) and slip them into the pocket of Ballot Paper Envelope 'A'.  Remove the self seal strip from the envelope flap where shown and fold over to seal. Remember, do not detach the security statement.

Place Ballot Paper Envelope 'A' and the attached security statement into the Return Envelope 'B'.

Return without delay. The postage is pre-paid. Make sure you send it back so that it arrives by close of poll, which is 10pm on election day. If it arrives later than this your vote won’t be counted!