Delivery or collection of permanent Voter Authority Certificates
The Voter Authority Certificate must be delivered by post to the applicant’s address.1
Applicants may indicate on their application that they consider it necessary, for a specified reason, to collect their document in person instead.2
Where the applicant gives an indication, that they require a Braille, easy read or large print explanation of the Voter Authority Certificate the ERO must also arrange for a Braille, easy read or large print explanation of the issued document to be delivered or made available for collection with the issued document.3
Easy read and large print designs will be made available online and a hard copy stock of Braille will be supplied to each ERO via the centrally procured supplier appointed by DLUHC. If you need to reorder more stock, you will need to contact them.
It is for you to be satisfied that collection is necessary based on the reason provided by the applicant. If you decide to allow the Voter Authority Certificate to be collected, you must tell the applicant:
that the issued document is available to be collected4
where and at what times the issued document can be collected5
that the issued document may only be collected in person, by themselves6
Collection can be from anywhere that the ERO and applicant agree. This could include picking up the document from your offices or a polling station. If you are not also the RO, you would need to work with the relevant RO to decide on the feasibility of and process for arranging collection from a polling station.
You should ensure that processes are in place to maintain a clear audit trail and to ensure the security of Voter Authority Certificates while in transit or while awaiting collection from any collection point.
If you agree to allow collection of a Voter Authority Certificate, you should consider how you will be satisfied that you have established the applicant’s identity, as you cannot simply rely on checking the photograph for integrity purposes. A proportionate approach should be adopted that seeks to use some proof of identity that can be easily verified by staff, but that is not too onerous for the elector.