Postal voters told to reapply ahead of deadline

Residents in Powys who vote by post are being contacted to let them know that they must reapply for their postal vote to continue doing so, following changes introduced by the UK Government.

Under the Elections Act 2022, postal vote arrangements now last for a maximum of three years. This means that anyone who applied for a postal vote before October 31, 2023 will be required to submit a new application by January 31, 2026, to ensure they can continue voting by post at certain elections.

Emma Palmer, the Electoral Registration Officer at Powys County Council, is encouraging residents to act early: “We know many people in Powys rely on postal voting for convenience or accessibility. These changes are designed to improve the security of the voting process, but they do mean that voters need to take action to avoid losing their postal vote.”

To reapply, voters will need to provide their date of birth, National Insurance number, and a handwritten signature. Applications can be made online at www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote or by paper form, which can be downloaded from Powys County Council website.

Affected residents will be contacted by email or letter over the coming months. Residents are encouraged to go online at www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote to help save costly reminders.

If a new application is not received by the deadline, the postal vote will be cancelled, and the voter will need to vote in person at their local polling station, unless a new application is submitted.

Residents are encouraged not to wait for a reminder and to reapply as soon as possible to ensure their vote is protected.

If you are in any doubt about the postal vote application process, contact Powys County Council’s Electoral Services team at electoral.services@powys.gov.uk or 01597 826202.