Running electoral registration - Wales

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. The length of time the arrangement can be in place for will differ depending on the type of poll for which the applications are made. 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.

Depending on the type of election it is for a postal voting arrangement voting arrangement can be in place for one for the following: 

• a particular poll (for 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)
• a longer term postal vote arrangement the length of time for which will differ depending on the type of poll for which the application is made. 

For Senedd elections and local government elections

An elector’s postal vote arrangement can be in place for an indefinite period, but after 5 years the postal vote signature will be refreshed. For more information on this see our guidance on managing the refresh processes. 

For UK Parliamentary elections and Police and Crime Commissioner elections   resulting from the UK Parliamentary arrangement

The maximum period cannot exceed 3 years and will cease on the third 31 January calculated from the date the application is granted. You must contact affected electors and invite them to reapply before this date.2 For more information on this see our guidance on the reapplication process. 

For Police and Crime Commissioner elections

Where a separate application is made by one of the following:

• EU citizens or peers who will not have eligibility to receive a postal vote at Police and Crime Commissioner elections as a result of having a UK Parliamentary arrangement
• British, Irish or Commonwealth citizens who have postal voting arrangements in place for local government elections but not UK Parliamentary elections
• British, Irish or Commonwealth citizens who have no existing postal voting arrangements and do not wish to make a postal voting arrangement for UK Parliamentary elections 

The arrangement will only be effective for the next scheduled poll in May 2024. There are plans to further update the legislation following these polls to bring the arrangements for this type of election in line with other UK government polls.

If an 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.

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.

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 whether 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 declaration and clarify to the elector that it will only be applicable until the end of the current declaration period (i.e. up to the relevant 1 November). If a renewal declaration is subsequently received the overseas elector would need to make a new application for the postal vote to continue beyond the current declaration period. 

Postal voting arrangements for electors attaining the age of 18

You should contact 16 and 17 year old electors who have a postal vote arrangement in place for Senedd elections and local government elections when they attain the age of 18. 

Your communication should: 

• explain that their existing postal vote arrangement does not apply to UK Parliamentary elections or Police and Crime Commissioner elections
• explain that if they wish to vote by post at a UK Parliamentary elections and Police and Crime Commissioner elections, they will need to make an application for a postal vote 
• provide them with information about how to make such an application to vote by post