Postal Vote Renewal

Renewing your Postal Vote

Following changes introduced by the Elections Act 2022, postal voters are now required to reapply for their postal vote every three years.

All postal voters who made their current application before 31 October 2023 are required to reapply for their postal vote by 31 January 2026. If a new application is not received by this date the Electoral Registration Officer is required by law to cancel the postal vote, and you will only be able to vote in person at a polling station until you make a successful reapplication to vote by post.

The quickest and easiest way to reapply for a postal vote is online.

To vote in a polling station, all electors are now required to provide an accepted form of photo ID.

We will be contacting all those affected by this change to explain how to reapply.

Initially we will send an email to all those we hold an email address for. These emails will be sent from the Government's secure Notify service.

If we do not hold an email or you are unable to use the online service, we will be sending out paper application forms later in the year. However, as we must manually process all paper applications through the government portal we would urge you to apply online. 

As part of your application, you will be required to provide your:

• Date of Birth
• National Insurance Number
• Upload a photo or scanned copy of your handwritten signature in black ink on plain white paper

Get help uploading a signature image.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are these changes?

Electors can now make a postal vote application online.

As part of a postal vote application, electors must have their identity verified. Applications are verified against records held by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Is the email I have received genuine?

The email subject will be Postal Vote Renewal - Ashford Borough Council

The sender will be from Ashford Electoral Services, ashford.electoral.services@notifications.service.gov.uk (You cannot reply to this email).

Some members of the same household may be contacted in different ways depending on whether we have an email address or not.

How do I reapply for a postal vote?

You can apply for a postal vote online.

I am unsure what my national insurance number is?

You must prove your identity as part of the application process.

Your National Insurance Number (NINO) will be verified against records held by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). If this identity check fails, you must provide evidence of your identity.

Get help to find your National Insurance Number.

If you are unable to provide your National Insurance Number, you'll need to provide some documents so that we can confirm your identity.