Postal Votes

Postal voting is available if you cannot attend a polling station on election day or if you find it more convenient. Anyone aged 18 or over can apply for a postal vote and you do not need a reason to vote by post.

You can apply to vote by post for a particular election, for a set time or all future elections. Apply by downloading and printing the Postal vote application form below.

All forms require a signature to prevent fraud. You may be unable to sign due to a disability, illness, inability to sign in a consistent or distinctive manner or you are unable to read or write. In this case, you can download the Signature Waiver Application form.

How to apply

Please complete the form at the bottom of this page and return it to the Council. 

Please ensure that your application form is:

• Printed on white A4 paper
• Not photocopied, as this distorts the original and will make it unreadable by our software
• Single-sided – please ensure there is nothing printed on the reverse of the form
• Not altered – do no print using “fit to paper” or “shrink large pages” options

If you do not have a printer, please contact Electoral Services using the contact form below and an application will be posted to you.

We must have received your postal vote application at least 11 working days before an election takes place. Postal votes are usually sent out around one week before election day, though this can be as short as four working days before the election, depending on the election's timetable.

Royal Mail have priority post boxes which offer later/additional collection arrangements - details can be found at Royal Mail.

Postal votes can be sent to the address where you appear on the register. If you ask for your postal vote to be sent to an address other than the one linked to you on the Electoral Register, you must give a reason why.

Postal votes can be sent overseas, but you need to consider whether there will be enough time to receive and return your ballot paper by election day.

Sending a postal vote back

When you get your postal vote:

• Mark your vote on the ballot paper
• Enter your date of birth and signature on the security statement
• Seal your ballot paper in envelope A
• Place sealed envelope A and the declaration of identity in envelope B, then seal it
• Make sure you send back your postal vote so it arrives by the close of poll on election day. If it arrives after voting closes, it will not be counted

A free post envelope is included in your postal ballot pack to return your ballot. You will need to pay the postage if sending from abroad. If it is too late to post it back, you can hand it in at a polling station in your voting area, or to the Returning Officer at our offices.

Your ballot paper will be mixed with all the others before counting begins, so your vote will be kept secret.

Instructions on how to vote by post will be sent with your postal vote pack.

If you do not receive your pack, or it is lost or spoilt you can contact the elections office for information.