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Postal vote

If you are unable to get to a polling station on election day you can register in advance for a postal vote.

Current application deadline

The deadline to apply for a postal vote for the elections on 2 May 2024 is 5pm on Wednesday 17 April 2024.

Apply for a postal vote

You can apply for a postal vote at any time. The deadline for returning forms is 5pm 11 working days before polling day. 

You can apply for a postal vote through the downloadable form on the Electoral Commission website. You will need to return it to us when you have completed the form. We are unable to accept forms with electronic signatures on - you must have signed a paper form by hand.

Apply for a postal vote

Returning your application form

When you have completed the postal vote application form and signed it by hand (we cannot accept forms with electronic signatures), you should return it us as soon as possible.

By post or by hand

The Elections Unit
Ashfield District Council
Council Offices
Urban Road
Kirkby in Ashfield
Nottingham
NG17 8DA

By email

You can scan and email the completed document to regelec@ashfield.gov.uk. 

How does postal voting work?

Once you are registered for a postal vote and an election has been called, you will receive a postal vote pack in the post. 

This will arrive with you around a week or so before an election. Keep it in a safe place and don't let anyone else handle it or pick it up. 

When you're ready to vote: 

  • read the instructions
  • complete the ballot form
  • sign and seal. 

You should post your ballot pack to us yourself by putting it in a Royal Mail post box.

If you are unable to, ask a family member or someone you trust to post it to us. New changes mean that it is a criminal offence for a political campaigner to handle your postal vote.

You should post your pack back to arrive with us before the close of poll, which is 10pm on polling day. If you miss the chance to post it in time, you can take it to your polling station or deliver it by hand to the council's Kirkby in Ashfield office during office hours on polling on day. Please note that any person making hand delivery of postal vote packs (maximum of 5 packs, plus their own) must complete a form confirming circumstances of delivery.

Any postal votes received after the close of poll will not be counted.

Information on changes to postal voting

Changes to postal voting came into effect on 31 October 2023 to improve the security of voting by post. The changes include:

  • You can apply online to vote by post
  • You now to prove your identity as part of the application process. Both online and paper applications require ID verification
  • You can hold a postal vote for a maximum period of 3 years; You need to reapply at the end of that time. 

Changes to postal vote handling and secrecy

  • A ban and a new criminal offence is in place to stop parties and campaigners handling certain completed postal votes and postal vote envelopes.
  • Voters will not be allowed to hand in more than five postal ballot packs (in addition to their own).
  • New rules limit the number of postal ballot packs that someone can hand in on behalf of other voters, and would also require postal votes to be rejected if they are not handed in in accordance with the requirements.

You should post your ballot pack to us yourself if you can. If you are unable to, ask someone you trust to post it to us.

You should post it back to arrive with us before the close of poll, which is 10pm on polling day. If you miss the chance to post it in time you can take it to your polling station or deliver it by hand to the council's Kirkby in Ashfield office on polling on day. This is the address listed on your return envelope. 

Any postal votes received after the close of poll, or at other council offices, won’t be counted.

Absent vote signature matching

Your signature on your postal ballet is matched to the one you provided on your original registration. This is to make sure no-one else is using your vote. If they don't match, your vote won't be counted. 

Your ballot is kept separate from your signature so no-one knows how you voted. 

As circumstances and signatures change over time we'll write to you every 5 years to get an updated signature for our records. We carry out the refresh every year by 31 January. We'll write to you if you're due to renew. 

Ways to contact us about postal voting

If you have a question about postal voting you can contact us by: 

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