Running electoral registration - England

Processing errors when inputting information for ID verification for postal vote applications

Processing errors may occur when inputting personal identifier information for ID verification. This may result in an applicant who has properly submitted an application not having their identity verified in time for you to issue a postal vote in time to vote at a poll. For example, a paper application form that contains personal identifier information may be received but misplaced and not properly dealt with, or an online application may be incorrectly processed, resulting in the application not being sent to DWP.

You can correct the error, determine an application for a postal vote and issue the postal vote at any time before the close of poll. However, if the postal vote is needed for a forthcoming poll you should liaise with the RO (where you are not already the RO) to plan how you will coordinate the determination and subsequent issuing of the postal packs for that poll. Our guidance on determining applications close to the deadline provides more information on this.

On discovering this type of processing error, before you determine the application, you must still:

  • be satisfied that the application was submitted before the deadline (for example, it was time and date-stamped upon receipt)
  • send the applicant’s personal identifiers to be verified

When processing errors are identified close to the close of poll, and you are concerned that the results of the DWP matching process may not be returned in time, you may in these circumstances, proceed straight to the documentary exceptions process before you receive the result of the DWP matching process to mitigate the impact of the processing error.

Last updated: 12 December 2023