Running electoral registration - Wales

Online applications

An applicant will not be able to submit an incomplete postal vote application online.

The only exceptions are:

• where an applicant is unable to provide their NINo and they provide a statement of the reasons why as part of the application
• where an applicant is unable to provide their signature and they indicate that they will require a waiver

Where an applicant is unable to provide their NINo, you should try to verify the applicant’s identity using the exceptions process.1   

Paper applications

You may receive paper postal vote applications which do not contain all the required information.

You are not able to determine a postal vote application if any of the required information is missing or incomplete. 

Paper applications for Senedd elections or local government elections

If the application is for Senedd elections or local government elections and the applications is incomplete you should, where possible, make enquiries to obtain the missing information. If the missing information is not submitted, the application must not be allowed.

Where it appears that the elector has made a mistake when completing their postal vote application (for example, where they have transposed their date of birth figures), you should contact the elector and ask them to resubmit an application form. 

Paper applications for UK Parliamentary or Police and Crime Commissioner elections

If the application is for UK Parliamentary and/or Police and Crime Commissioner elections and the applicant has not been able to provide their NINo they must provide a statement of the reasons why as part of the application.

Where an applicant is unable to provide their NINo, and they provide a statement of the reasons why, the application is not rejected as incomplete and you should verify the identity of the applicant using the exceptions process.2  

If no explanations are provided as to why the required information is missing from a paper application you should, where possible, make enquiries to obtain the missing information. If the missing information is not submitted, you must reject the application.  You should contact the applicant, explain why the application has been rejected and how to make a fresh application. If the application is made in the run up to a poll, you should also explain that a new application must be received by 5pm, 11 working days before the poll, for it to be able to be processed in time for that poll. 

Where an applicant is unable to provide their signature, they should indicate that they will require a waiver and you should send out a signature waiver application for completion.