Postal vote re-applications 2025 - 2026
If your postal vote is due to expire in January 2026, we have contacted you to advise that you need to submit a new application.
Renewing your postal vote
The Elections Act 2022 introduced new rules for postal votes. From 31 October 2023:
- All postal vote applications must contain your name, address, date of birth, National Insurance number and signature
- When you apply to vote by post your identity is checked against information held by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). If this check fails, you will be asked to provide additional evidence of your identity.
- Postal votes are now valid for a maximum of three years
- If you were granted a permanent postal vote on or before 30 January 2024, your postal vote will expire on 31 January 2026. To continue voting by post you will need to make a new application.
We have contacted all affected residents and provided an application form along with instructions on how to re-apply.
Residents who have not submitted a successful new application application by December will also receive a reminder letter.
FAQs
The quickest way to apply is online at Gov.uk.
To re-apply online, you will need:
- the address where are you are registered to vote
- your national insurance number (or another form of ID, such as a passport)
- a photo of your handwritten signature in black ink on plain white paper
If you are unable to provide the above, you can return a paper application form instead. If your postal vote is due to expire, you will automatically be sent this form and do not need to contact us to request one. You can also download a copy at Gov.uk.
We have sent reminder emails to residents who provided an email address. To check if an email is genuine:
- It will be sent via the Government Notification Service (GOV.UK Notify)
- The sender will appear as Elections at South Norfolk and Broadland
- The email address will be: elections.at.south.norfolk.and.broadland@notifications.service.gov.uk
If you include your email address on your application form, you will receive an acknowledgement email. You may also receive a request for additional evidence of your identity - these are genuine and will come from the GOV.UK Notify service.
Genuine emails will also come from elections@southnorfolkandbroadland.gov.uk or from a southnorfolkandbroadland.gov.uk email address.
Please look out for these emails to ensure that your application can be processed.
You can find your National Insurance number on your payslip, P60 or on letters about tax, pensions or benefits. It follows this format: AB 12 34 56 C.
While it is now a requirement to provide evidence of your identity when applying to vote by post, you can still apply without your National Insurance number.
Please instead include a copy (not the original) of an accepted ID document with your application, such as:
- a passport
- a UK photocard driving licence
- a biometric immigration document
- a national identity card issued in the European Economic Area
For a full list of accepted documents, please contact us.
If you do not provide evidence of your identity your application cannot be processed.
You will receive confirmation once your application has been approved. If further evidence is required to process your application, we will contact you directly.
If you receive a reminder from us it means either:
- We have not received your new application, or
- We have received a new application which is on hold because we are waiting for further information from you
If you are unable to sign a consistent signature you can apply for a signature waiver. Apply online at Gov.uk or contact our helpline for further information.
If you do not make a successful new application by 31 January 2026 the Electoral Registration Officer is required by law to cancel your postal vote. You will still be registered to vote, but you will need to vote in person at a polling station until you make a successful application again. We will write to you to confirm if your postal voting arrangement has been cancelled.
If you do not re-apply by 31 January 2026 your postal voting arrangement will be cancelled and you will be registered to vote in person at the polling station until you make a new application.
If you wait until next year to re-apply (after your current postal vote expires) you may receive your postal ballot pack later than those who re-apply before the deadline. For elections in May 2026 there will be two postal vote dispatches; the first for those who already have a postal voting arrangement in place, the second for those who apply later.
To ensure you receive your postal vote as early as possible we recommend re-applying well before your current arrangement expires.
If you would prefer to vote in person at your local polling station, you can cancel your postal vote by emailing elections@southnorfolkandbroadland.gov.uk. Please include your full name and address in the email so we can update your record.