Running electoral registration - England

Determining applications close to a deadline

For applications received before a deadline, whilst you should still determine them as soon as you can, you can determine them up to and including any time on polling day for an election or the last day for signing at a petition. 

For applications determined as approved after the deadline, you will need to decide whether the applicant will receive the Voter Authority Certificate or Anonymous Elector’s Document in time to be able to use it at the election or for signing at a petition.

If you decide that for an application determined after the deadline a Voter Authority Certificate would not be delivered in time, you may issue a temporary Voter Authority Certificate.1 More information can be found in our guidance on issuing temporary Voter Authority Certificates.

To help you make this decision you should consider the expected timescales included in the service level agreement with the UK government procured central supplier for Voter Authority Certificates and royal mail delivery timescales, information on which can be found in our guidance on producing permanent Voter Authority Certificates.

If you decide that an Anonymous Elector’s Document will not be delivered in time if sent through the post, you should contact the elector and arrange for them to collect the document instead if possible. For more information, see our guidance on delivery or collection of Anonymous Elector’s Documents.

Whatever determination decision you make, you must write to the elector to notify them.2

Last updated: 17 November 2022