Running electoral registration - England

You should ensure that electors are made aware that they have the option to vote by post, proxy or in person. This will allow them to make an informed choice about the option that is most appropriate to their circumstances.

Electors who are or will be registered are entitled to apply for a postal vote. For someone to meet the will be registered criteria, the five day objection period must have passed and you must have positively determined their registration application, which means they will be added to the register on publication of the next notice of alteration or on publication of the revised register, whichever is first.1   

There is no requirement for an elector to provide a reason why they want to vote by post.

A postal vote arrangement can be in place for one of the following: 

• a particular poll
• a definite period
• a maximum period of up to 3 years

A particular poll means a poll held on a specific date.

A definite period cannot exceed 3 years and has a start and end date - for example:

• From: DD/MM/YY until DD/MM/YY

For domestic electors the maximum period cannot exceed 3 years and will cease on the third 31 January calculated from the date the application is granted. As such, you must contact affected electors and invite them to reapply before this date.2  For more information on this see our guidance on the re-application process.

If a domestic elector applies for a postal vote for a definite period which exceeds the maximum period, you should grant the application for the maximum period possible. Their confirmation letter should confirm the date that the postal vote arrangement will expire.

EROs may also decide to get in contact with the applicant to clarify the period that they are intending to apply for if there is uncertainty on this.

Postal voting arrangements for overseas electors

An overseas elector’s postal voting arrangement is directly linked to their electoral registration and will cease on the third 1 November calculated from the date of their addition to or renewal on the register. 

For example: 

Any postal vote arrangement for an overseas elector will expire when their electoral registration expires, regardless of the date the postal vote application was made. For more information see our guidance on managing the renewal of overseas elector registration. 

If, during the renewal period, a new postal vote application is received separately from a renewal declaration from an overseas elector, you should check to see if the elector has made a new overseas elector application. If they have not, you should contact the overseas elector to confirm if they want to renew their declaration. If they do, wait to receive it, and process it in advance of the postal vote application.

If you cannot get confirmation from the elector, you should process the postal vote application without the renewal and clarify to the elector that it will only be applicable until the end of the declaration period (i.e. up to the relevant 1 November). If a declaration is subsequently received the overseas elector would be required to reapply for their postal vote if they wish their arrangement to continue to be in place after that date.