Elections Act 2022 - Changes to Postal Voting

The Elections Act allows electors to apply online for a postal vote for Parliamentary and Police and Crime Commissioner elections (this service is not available for Senedd and local government elections).

Electors will have their identity verified with DWP records for these elections as part of the application process.  Your application for these two election types will cover you for a maximum period of three years. You will need to re-apply by the third 31 January after your application has been granted. A notice informing you of the need to reapply will be sent prior to this at the end of that time.

The process for a three yearly application process for postal voters who apply for Parliamentary and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections began on 31 October 2023. Electors who have an existing postal vote prior to the changes coming in, will not need to do anything until 31 January 2026, however the Elections Team will be in touch with you prior to this date regarding the transitional arrangements.

At a Parliamentary or Police and Crime Commissioner election, there will also be a limit to how many postal votes an elector can hand in at any polling station or council building (address on envelope B of your postal pack). You will be allowed to take your own, and up to five others. 

At these types of elections, political parties and campaigners will be banned from handling postal vote packs on behalf of electors unless they are handing in their own, a close relative or someone for whom they provide regular care or for whom regular care is provided by an organisation which employs or engages them.

The rules regarding secrecy and who can handle postal votes for the above election types will apply for elections taking place on or after 2 May 2024.

For further information about changes to postal voting: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/our-views-and-research/elections-act/changes-postal-voting