How to Apply for a Postal Vote

0 Comments

For better or worse, Britain will have a General Election on Thursday 4th July 2024.

I have seen several articles urging young people to register so they can cast their vote when the time comes. Of course, it is right that in any democracy as many eligible people as possible register and turn out to vote. However, it is just as essential that older people also have their say.

As Pounds and Sense is aimed primarily at over-fifties, I therefore wanted to take the opportunity to encourage you to apply now for a postal vote if this might help you exercise your democratic right to vote.

Having a postal vote means that if ill health, frailty or disability prevent you getting to a polling station, you still have the opportunity to express your political preference. Likewise, you won’t have to worry about obstacles such as bad weather or a lack of transport on the day to get to the polling station.

Any registered voter in the UK can apply for a postal vote. This includes:

  • British citizens living in the UK
  • British citizens living abroad (overseas voters)
  • Commonwealth and Irish citizens residing in the UK

In England, Scotland and Wales (though not Northern Ireland – see below) you will not normally have to give any reason for wanting a postal vote and one should be granted automatically if you apply.

  • I assume that most readers of this blog will have registered to vote in elections already, but if by chance you haven’t, here’s a link to the relevant website. You must register by 11:59 pm on Tuesday 18th June to vote in the General Election on 4th July.

How to Apply

To get a postal vote for the forthcoming election, you must apply before:

  • 5 pm on Weds June 19th if you live in England, Scotland or Wales
  • 5 pm on Fri June 14th if you live in Northern Ireland

In England, Scotland or Wales, you can obtain a postal vote application form from several sources:

In Northern Ireland, people wanting to vote by post have to fill out a form and send it to the electoral office in Belfast. These forms can be found online here.

The postal vote application form requires the following details:

  • Your personal details (name, address, date of birth).
  • Your address where the postal ballot should be sent.
  • The reason for requesting a postal vote if applicable. Voters in Northern Ireland are always required to give a reason when they apply.

Make sure to fill in all sections accurately to avoid delays or rejections.

Once completed, you must return the form to your local Electoral Registration Office. This can be done by post or hand delivery. It’s important to ensure the form arrives before the deadline, which is usually 11 working days before election day. Late applications will not be accepted.

Receiving and Returning Your Postal Vote

After your application is approved, you will receive your postal voting pack, which includes:

  • a ballot paper
  • instructions on how to complete your vote
  • a postal voting statement, which you must sign and provide your date of birth.
  • a return envelope

To cast your vote:

  1. Mark your ballot paper according to the instructions.
  2. Seal your ballot paper in the envelope provided.
  3. Complete and sign the postal voting statement.
  4. Place both the sealed ballot envelope and the signed statement in the return envelope.
  5. Post your vote back as soon as possible to ensure it is received in time. It must reach the Electoral Registration Office by 10 pm on election day to be counted.

Tips for Postal Voting

  • Send your vote early to avoid postal delays and ensure your application is processed in time.
  • Double-check all details on your application and voting pack.
  • Follow the instructions carefully to ensure your vote is valid.
  • If you haven’t received your postal voting pack one week before the election, contact your local Electoral Registration Office immediately.

Be aware that if you have applied to vote by post, you cannot vote in person at a polling station. However, on election day you can return your postal vote to any polling station in your local authority area (before 10 pm) or to the Returning Officer at your local council (before they close) if you don’t want to post it or it’s too late to post it.

Closing Thoughts

The next government, whatever its political hue, will have to address a range of issues that are of great importance to older people. Prominent among these is the cost of long-term care (and who will bear it), but there are many other areas of concern, including pensions and benefits, the NHS, public transport, housing, law and order, immigration, the cost of living, national security and defence, and so on.

So it really is important to ensure that nothing prevents you casting your vote when the time comes. Registering for a postal vote is one way to ensure that ill-health, frailty or disability do not rob you of the opportunity to exercise your democratic right.

As always, if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below.

If you enjoyed this post, please link to it on your own blog or social media:

Related Posts