Running electoral registration - Wales

Refresh requirements for postal voters at Senedd and local government elections 

Electors who have a permanent postal voting arrangement for Senedd and local government elections must be notified when their signature on the personal identifiers record is more than five years old that a fresh signature is required for their postal voting arrangement to continue.1

Requirement for domestic postal voters at UK Parliamentary elections and Police and Crime Commissioner elections to reapply

A domestic elector can apply for a postal vote arrangement for UK Parliamentary elections to be in place for a definite period or a maximum period of up to three years. The restriction on the length of time a postal vote arrangement can be made for means that if the elector wishes the arrangement to remain in place, they will be required to make a new application when their current arrangement period ends.2 Any arrangement of this sort will result in a subsequent postal vote arrangement for the Police and Crime Commissioner elections being in place which will be subject to the same timing restrictions. 

There were special arrangements in place for postal vote applications for the Police and Crime Commissioner elections in May 2024 made by:

• EU citizens or peers 
• British, Irish or Commonwealth citizens who only have existing 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 

There are plans to update the legislation following these polls to bring the postal arrangements for this type of poll in line with other UK government polls. If a Police and Crime Commissioner by-election occurs in the interim period please contact us for guidance directly. 

You must notify domestic electors who have a postal vote arrangement in place for a maximum period at UK Parliamentary elections and Police and Crime Commissioner elections before the existing arrangement ends to inform them of the date on which their arrangement will end and how to make a fresh application. 

For more information, see our guidance on managing the process for informing postal voters of the requirement to re-apply.  

Refresh requirements for electors with a proxy voting arrangement at any poll (with the exception of overseas electors)

Electors who have a proxy voting arrangement for any poll (with the exception of overseas electors) will be notified when their signature on the personal identifiers record is more than five years old that a fresh signature is required for their proxy voting arrangement to continue. For more information, see our guidance on refreshing absent vote signatures.

Overseas electors with absent voting arrangements for UK Parliamentary elections

The absent voting arrangements for overseas electors is linked to their electoral registration. They are required to reapply for their postal voting arrangement or refresh their proxy vote signature when they renew their registration as an overseas elector.  

Our guidance on overseas electors has been updated to reflect changes as a result of the Elections Act 2022.