Reapplying for a postal vote
Reapplying for a postal vote
Following changes introduced by the Elections Act 2022, postal voters must reapply for their postal vote every three years.
If you vote by post and you made your current application before 31 October 2023, you need to reapply for your postal vote by 31 January 2026.
The quickest and easiest way to reapply for a postal vote is online at:
Apply for a postal vote - GOV.UK
If a new postal vote application isn't received by 31 January 2026, your postal vote will be cancelled and you'll need to vote in person at your polling station. To vote in a polling station all electors are now required to bring in an accepted type of photo ID on the day.
If your postal vote is cancelled, you can apply for a new postal vote up to 5pm, 11 working days before an election.
We will be contacting all postal voters affected by this change in the summer / autumn explaining how to reapply.
If we hold their email address, we'll send an initial email to affected electors. This email will come from electoralregistration@stalbans.gov.uk.
If we don't hold an email address, or if we don't receive a response to our email, we'll send a letter which will contain information on what to do next.
As part of your application, you will need to provide your:
- Date of birth
- National Insurance Number
- Upload a photo or scanned copy of your handwritten signature in black ink on plain white paper.
Frequently asked questions:
Is the email I've received genuine? Toggle accordion
You can spot a genuine email from us:
- the email title will be Notice to reapply for a postal vote
- the email will come from electoral.registration@stalbans.gov.uk
Some members of the same household may be contacted in different ways depending on whether we hold their email address or not. We are using emails where a voter has provided an email address to reduce our carbon footprint and to reduce the cost of sending letters by post.
How to I reapply for a postal vote? Toggle accordion
The quickest and easiest way to reapply for a postal vote is online here: Apply for a postal vote - GOV.UK.
As part of your application, you will need to provide your:
- Date of birth
- National Insurance Number
- Upload a photo of your handwritten signature in black ink on plain white paper.
If you are not able to complete your application online you can download a paper application form. You can also request a paper application form by emailing electoral.registration@stalbans.gov.uk or calling Electoral Services on 01727 819294.
How do I upload my signature in the online application form? Toggle accordion
The Government have produced guidance on how to upload your signature.
I can't sign consistently, what can I do? Toggle accordion
If you're not able to provide a signature, or a consistent signature, but still want to vote by post you can apply for a postal vote without giving your signature.
You will be required to provide a reason why you are unable to provide a consistent signature. If you have had help completing the application, that person will be required to supply their details. If you prefer to complete a paper application, please contact us by phone or email and request a postal vote signature waiver declaration. The waiver declaration needs to be returned with your postal vote application form.
I'm not sure what my national insurance number is; where can I find it? Toggle accordion
The Government have produced guidance on how to find your National Insurance number.
You must prove your identity as part of the postal vote application process. Your National Insurance Number (NINO) will be verified against records held by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). If this identity check fails, you must provide evidence of your identity.
If you're not able to provide your national insurance number, you'll need to provide some documents so that we can confirm your identity.
I no longer wish to vote by post, what do I need to do? Toggle accordion
Cancellation of postal votes must be made in writing, and your correspondence must include your full name, address and date of birth.
Contact us by email (electoral.registration@stalbans.gov.uk) or by letter to: Electoral Services, St Albans City and District Council, St Peter’s Street, St Albans, AL1 3JE.
Be aware that, if you are no longer a postal voter, you now need to take an accepted form of photo ID with you to vote in a polling station. For more information visit the voter ID page on the Electoral Commission website
What are personal identifiers and how they are used? Toggle accordion
On your application to vote by post you must provide your date of birth and signature, these are your “personal identifiers”.
When you vote by post, you are required to complete and return a statement giving your personal identifiers. These are then checked against those you gave on your application to make sure that they match. If they don't match, your postal vote must be rejected and your vote will not be counted. This is a security measure to prevent someone else from using your vote.
Your personal identifiers are always kept separate from your ballot paper, so no-one knows how you have voted.
When's the next scheduled election? Toggle accordion
The next scheduled elections are District Council elections on Thursday 7 May 2026.