We are emailing people with a postal vote to ask them if they want to renew it. You can find more more about postal vote renewals.
Postal vote renewals
The Elections Act 2022 introduced new rules for postal voters.
If you applied for a permanent postal vote before 31 October 2023, your postal vote will expire on 31 January 2026. If you want to continue voting by post, you need to submit a new application before this date.
If you do not apply before 31 January 2026, we will have to cancel your postal vote. This means you will only be able to vote in person until you successfully apply again.
Postal votes will now only valid for up to three years. After that, your postal vote will expire, and you will need to apply again. If you do not, you will have to go back to voting in person.
When applying for a postal vote, you will need to provide your:
- name and address
- date of birth
- National Insurance number
- signature
We will also have to check your identity against records held by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). If this check fails, you will need to supply evidence of your identity.
The easiest way to renew your postal vote is online, via the GOV.UK website.
As part of your application, you need to:
- provide your date of birth
- provide your National Insurance Number, or documentation to confirm your identity if you do not have one
- upload a photo or scanned copy of your handwritten signature in black ink on plain white paper
If you can't provide a consistent signature, due to disability or other reasons, you can still vote by post. You will need to explain why you can’t provide a signature when you apply.
You can also:
- download a postal vote application form, or
- request a paper form to be sent to your home address
If we have an address on file for you, we will contact you by email first to remind you to renew your postal vote.
We will send the email from the same email address that we use for the annual canvass, which is:
chelmsford.city.council.electoral.services@notifications.service.gov.uk
The email will look like this:
If we do not respond, or we do not have an email address for you, we will write to you at your home address.
If you no longer wish to vote by post, you can either:
- wait for your postal vote to be cancelled automatically on 31 January 2026, or
- request to cancel your postal vote