Changes to Postal Voting

Following changes introduced by the Elections Act 2022, postal voters are now required to reapply for their postal vote every three years.

All postal voters who made their current application before 31 October 2023 are required to reapply for their postal vote by 31 January 2026.

Don't lose your postal vote

If a new application is not received by 31 January 2026, the Electoral Registration Officer is required by law to cancel the postal vote, and electors will have to vote in a polling station with photographic ID until a new postal vote application is received or if a proxy is appointed.

Process for reapplying for a postal vote

We will be contacting all those affected by this change in the coming weeks explaining how to reapply and have started the process early for applications to be processed and queries responded to in sufficient time in advance of the 31 January 2026 deadline.

We will be sending an initial email to all electors we hold an email address for, which will be sent from the Government’s Secure Gov.Notify system.

All other postal voters affected, for whom we do not hold an email, will receive a letter which will contain information on what to do next.

You do not have to wait to receive our re-application reminder to make a new application. You can apply online at any time by visiting www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote.

Reapply online for a postal vote

The quickest and easiest way to reapply for a postal vote is online.

Apply for a postal vote here.

As part of your application, you will be required 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.

If you would like to download and print off a form to send back to us, the form can be found on the electoral commission's website. You can either return your completed form by email to postalvote@eastherts.gov.uk or post your form to:

Electoral Services
Wallfields
Pegs Lane
Hertford
Hertfordshire
SG13 8EQ

Postal voting frequently asked questions

How does the Elections Act 2022 affect my postal vote?

The Elections Act 2022 introduced the following changes for voters who applied for a postal vote after 31 October 2023:

Electors can now apply online.
Electors must prove suitable identity as part of the application process. Your identity 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.
Postal vote applications are now valid for a maximum period of three years and a new application must be made at the end of that time.

How will I know if the email I received in genuine?

You can spot a genuine email from us as:

The email title will be Important: Re-apply for your postal vote
The sender will be from east.hertfordshire.electoral.services@notifications.service.gov.uk

Some members of the same household may be contacted in different ways depending on whether we have an email address or not and when their postal vote is due to expire.

We are using emails where a voter has provided an email address because re-applying online is the quickest and most cost-effective way to make your application. Please help us by responding to our reminder as soon as you can.

Please help us by responding as soon as possible.

How do I reapply for a postal vote?

You can apply online for a postal vote

As part of your application, you will be required to provide:

date of birth
National Insurance number
a photo or scanned copy of your handwritten signature in black ink on plain white paper

If you are unable to complete your application online you can download a paper application form in England.

If you are unable to do this, a paper copy may be requested from Electoral Services by calling 01279 655261 or by emailing postalvote@eastherts.gov.uk.

What would happen if I don’t reapply for my postal vote and it expires?

If your postal vote expires and a new application is not received, the Electoral Registration Officer is required by law to cancel the postal vote. You will then have to vote in a polling station until a new postal vote application is received or if a proxy is appointed.

Please note 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.

If I can’t sign consistently, what can I do?

If you are unable 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. This is called a waiver and you can complete the signature waiver section when you re-apply online.

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 waiver declaration to be sent to you. The waiver declaration needs to be returned with your postal vote application form.

How do I upload a signature online?

Find out how to upload your signature.

What happens if I am unsure what my National Insurance Number is?

You must prove your identity as part of the 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. Get help to find your National Insurance number.

If you are unable to provide your national insurance number, you'll need to provide some documents so that we can confirm your identity.

I no longer want to vote by post, what do I need to do?

Cancellation of postal votes must be made in writing, and this can be done by email to postalvote@eastherts.gov.uk or by letter to:

Electoral Services, Wallfields, Pegs Lane, Hertford, Hertfordshire, SG13 8EQ.

Your correspondence must include your full name, address, date of birth and a copy of your signature.

Please be reminded 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 my personal identifiers and how are they used?

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 check that they match. If they do not match, your vote will not be counted and your postal vote rejected.

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 is the next scheduled election?

The next scheduled elections for East Hertfordshire will be the local elections on Thursday 6 May 2027