How To Apply For A Postal Vote For The General Election 2017

Have you registered yet?

More than 350,000 people registered to vote in the three days following Theresa May’s snap General Election announcement.

But thousands more still stand to miss out on having their say on June 8, campaign group Hope Not Hate revealed on Wednesday, because they are not registered to vote

According to electoral commission advice, voting via the post could solve the issues of many of these people who may reside at more than one address during the year. 

But what is a postal vote, who is eligible and how does it work? 

Open Image Modal
The UK will head to the polls on June 8
ESPIMAGING

How do I apply to vote by post? 

To apply to vote by post, visit gov.uk and print out a postal vote application form. 

After filling it out and signing it, you must then send it to your local authority. 

To find out the contact details of your local authority, visit Your Vote Matters and use the search tool. 

Who is eligible to vote by post? 

Anyone who can vote in the General Election is eligible to vote by post. 

That means, you must have registered to vote and must be 18 or over on polling day. 

You must also be a British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen and be a resident at a UK address, or a British citizen living abroad who has been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years. 

You cannot vote if you have been legally excluded from doing so. 

What’s the deadline to register for a postal vote? 

The deadline to apply for a postal vote for the General Election is 5pm on Tuesday May 23. 

How do I vote by post? 

After receiving your ballot papers through the post, you must complete it on your own - no-one else must vote for you or see your vote. 

Once you have voted, put the ballot paper into the envelope provided and make sure its sealed. 

You must then complete and sign the voting statement that was sent along with the ballot papers. Put both the statement and the envelope into the second, larger envelope that was supplied and make sure its sealed. 

You should then post your vote. If you’re not able to take it to the post box yourself, give it to someone you trust or call your local electoral registration office and ask them to collect it. 

According to Your Vote Matters, you should only hand your postal vote to a candidate or party worker to return if “no other way is practical”. 

When is the postal vote deadline? 

In order for your vote to be counted, you must make sure it arrives by 10pm on the day of the election, June 8. 

For more information about how to register to vote, click here.