Form

Apply for a postal vote (paper forms)

Use this form to apply to vote by post. You'll need to send the completed form to your local Electoral Registration Office.

From:
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, The Electoral Commission and Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Published
10 June 2014
Last updated
31 October 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Documents

Postal vote application form (England)

PDF, 217 KB, 2 pages

Postal vote application form (Scotland)

PDF, 213 KB, 3 pages

Postal vote application form (Wales)

PDF, 166 KB, 3 pages

Details

You can vote by post if you don’t want to vote in person at a polling station.

Send the completed form to your local Electoral Registration Office.

If you use assistive technology and need an accessible version of this document, contact your local Electoral Registration Office.

Other ways to apply 

You can apply online for a postal vote

Updates to this page

Published 10 June 2014
Last updated 31 October 2023 + show all updates

  1. You can now apply online for a postal vote. The paper application forms have been updated by the Electoral Commission.

  2. You can no longer apply for a postal vote for elections taking place on 5 May 2022. You can still apply for a proxy vote.

  3. Correction: we have updated the deadline for submitting a postal vote application to before 5pm on Tuesday 19 April.

  4. If you are registered to vote and want to vote by proxy in the 5 May 2022 elections, you must submit a proxy vote application form that is received by your local Electoral Registration Office before 5pm on Tuesday 26 April 2022.

  5. If you are registered to vote in Scotland, you are no longer able to apply for a postal vote for the elections on 6 May 2021. You can still apply for a proxy vote.

  6. Updated to include new forms.

  7. If you are registered to vote in England or Wales and want to vote by post on 6 May 2021, you must submit a postal vote application form that is received by your local Electoral Registration Office before 5pm on Tuesday 20 April. If you are registered to vote in Scotland and want to vote by post on 6 May 2021, you must submit a postal vote application form that is received by your local Electoral Registration Office before 5pm on Tuesday 6 April.

  8. Attachments updated.

  9. Forms updated to comply with the new data protection laws.

  10. Information added to explain that it's now too late to apply by post for the 3 May elections.

  11. Information added for the 3 May election deadline.

  12. Updated forms

  13. Updated postal vote form for England

  14. Updated postal vote form

  15. Added Welsh language form

  16. Form updated.

  17. First published.

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Part of Vote in UK elections

  1. Step 1 Check if you can vote

    1. Check which elections you can vote in

  2. Step 2 Register to vote

    You’ll need to be registered to vote to take part in elections and referendums. You’ll need to register again if you change your name, address or nationality.

    1. Register to vote - apply online
    1. Register to vote - apply by post

  3. Step 3 Decide if you want to vote in person, by post, or by proxy

    1. Find out the different ways you can vote

  4. Step 4 Get ready to vote in person

    1. Check what ID you need to vote

    If you do not have photo ID that allows you to vote, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.

    1. Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate

    Contact your Electoral Registration Office to find your polling station or to find out what to do if you have accessibility needs.

    1. Contact your Electoral Registration Office

  5. or Apply for a postal vote

    In England, Scotland or Wales:

    1. Apply in Northern Ireland - by post only
    1. Find out more about voting by post

  6. or Apply for a proxy vote

    In England, Scotland or Wales:

    1. Apply in Northern Ireland - by post only
    1. Find out more about voting by proxy - including when you must apply by

  7. or Get ready to vote as a proxy

    1. Check what ID you need to vote

    Contact the Electoral Registration Office of the person you are a proxy for to find their polling station or to find out what to do if you have accessibility issues.

    1. Contact the Electoral Registration Office

  8. Step 5 Vote in person

    1. Vote in person

  9. or Vote by post

    1. Vote by post

  10. or Vote as a proxy for someone else

    1. Vote as a proxy for someone else