Voting by post

Voting by post allows you to complete your ballot paper at home and return it by post when elections take place.

Apply for a postal vote

To apply for a postal vote, you must be registered to vote. You can apply online at GOV.UK.

You can request a postal vote for:

A specific election.
A set period of time.
The maximum period of three years.

Application requirements

When applying, you will need to provide:

Your date of birth.
Your National Insurance number (found on official documents such as payslips or tax letters).
A clear copy of your signature (uploaded when applying online).

If you do not have a National Insurance number, you will need to provide alternative evidence of your identity.

Signature requirements

The signature must be clear and free of shadows.
If you use an electronic signature, note that at election time, you must sign a postal voting statement that will be checked against the signature on your application. If they do not match, your vote will be rejected.

Apply using a paper application form

If you cannot apply online, you can download a PDF form or request a paper application from Electoral Services.

Completed forms can be:

Scanned and emailed to [email protected].
Posted to Electoral Services, Gosport Borough Council, Town Hall, High Street, Gosport, PO12 1EB.
Hand-delivered to the Town Hall.

Signature waivers

If you cannot provide a consistent or legible signature due to a disability or inability to read or write, you may be eligible for a signature waiver. You will still need to provide your date of birth and National Insurance number on your application.

It is illegal to sign a postal vote application on behalf of someone else. Please contact Electoral Services for further details about applying for a signature waiver.

Receiving and returning your postal vote

Your postal ballot pack will be sent to the address specified on your application. It will contain:

A postal voting statement (which must be signed unless a waiver is granted).
The ballot paper(s).

You can return your completed pack by:

Post - using the pre-paid envelope (ensure it arrives by 10pm on polling day).
Delivering it in person - to the Town Hall or a Gosport polling station on polling day (7am-10pm).

If returning it in person, you will be asked to complete a further declaration form.

Key deadlines

If you would like to apply for a postal vote or update your existing postal voting arrangements (such as changing your signature or requesting your ballot paper to be sent to a different address), your application must be received by 5pm, 11 working days before polling day.

If you miss this deadline, you will need to vote in person or appoint a proxy - provided the proxy vote deadline has not passed. If you were requesting a change to an existing postal vote, your current postal voting arrangement will remain in place for the election

Cancel a postal vote

If you no longer wish to vote by post and want to cancel your postal voting arrangement, you must submit a cancellation request by 5pm, 11 working days before polling day.

After this deadline, your postal vote cannot be cancelled, and you will not be able to vote in person at a polling station for the election.

To cancel your postal vote, you must contact Electoral Services and provide:

Your full name and address.
Your date of birth.
A written and signed request (this can be emailed, posted, or hand-delivered).

You will receive written confirmation once your request has been processed.

Additional information

Voting while away from home

If you need your postal vote sent to a different address (e.g., university, holiday home), you can request this on your application.
Posting votes abroad: sometimes, ballot papers can only be sent out 7-10 days before an election. If you'll be overseas, consider appointing a proxy instead.

Lost or damaged postal vote packs

If you lose or do not receive your postal vote, you can request a replacement from four working days before polling day until 5pm on polling day.
If your envelope is damaged, you may repair it with tape or use another envelope marked 'POSTAL VOTE ENVELOPE B'.

Mistakes on your ballot paper

If you mark the wrong box, cross it out and mark the correct box. Do not use correction fluid.
If your date of birth or signature is incorrect, you can cross it out and rewrite it in another space on the postal voting statement.