Changes to postal voting
Summary
There are changes to voting by post and applying to vote by post.
These changes affect voters, parties and campaigners.
You can now apply online to vote by post for some elections. You will also need to prove your identity as part of the application process and reapply for a postal vote every three years.
Existing long-term postal votes applied for before 31 October 2023 will now expire on 31 January 2026.
Changes for voters
The changes include:
- You can apply online to vote by post
- You have to prove your identity as part of the application process. Both online and paper applications require ID verification.
- You can hold a postal vote for a maximum period of three years. You need to reapply at the end of that time.
These changes apply to:
- UK Parliamentary elections (excluding Northern Ireland), including by-elections and recall petitions
- Local elections in England
- Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales.
You cannot apply online to vote by post for any elections in Northern Ireland, for Senedd elections, Scottish Parliament elections, and local elections in Scotland and Wales.
You do not need to prove your identity when applying for a postal vote for the Senedd, Scottish Parliament, and Scottish and Welsh local elections.
For elections in Northern Ireland, for Scottish Parliament elections, Senedd elections and local elections in Scotland and Wales, you are able to apply for a permanent postal vote.
Our role in the changes for voters
We have provided updated guidance and support to electoral administrators to help them understand and deliver the changes.
We are supporting local authorities to communicate the changes to voters who want to apply for a postal vote, including highlighting to them the option to apply online. We have also updated the postal vote application forms.
We have told political parties and campaigners about the postal vote changes.
Postal vote handling and secrecy
There are new restrictions on the handling of postal votes, limiting the number the number of postal votes a voter can hand in at a polling station.
Changes to postal vote handling and secrecy
A ban and a new criminal offence will be in place to stop parties and campaigners handling certain completed postal votes and postal vote envelopes.
Voters will not be allowed to hand in more than five postal ballot packs (in addition to their own). When handing in postal votes, voters will need to complete a form. Voters will need to include their name and address, how many postal votes they are handing in and why they are handing in those postal votes. Postal votes will be rejected if the form is not completed or they hand in more postal votes than is allowed.
These changes will apply to:
- UK Parliament elections
- Local elections in England
- Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales
- Local and Assembly elections in Northern Ireland.
Our role in the changes to postal vote handling and secrecy
We have updated our guidance for electoral administrators and polling station staff to help them understand the changes.
We have provided updated guidance for political parties and campaigners to help them comply with the changes on handling postal votes, which formalise a key part of our existing code of conduct for parties and campaigners.