Postal votes

Date updated: 28/03/2024

Apply for a postal vote

You can have your ballot papers sent to the address where you are registered to vote or an alternative address.

You can apply to vote by post at any time, but the deadline for applications at an election is at 5pm 11 working days before polling day.

The Electoral Register

To apply for a postal vote for the Electoral Register, which is used for National and London-wide elections, you can now apply online, or you can complete the below paper form or a form can be posted to you.

Electoral Register - postal vote application PDF (218 KB)

Date submitted: 28/03/24

The Ward List

To apply for a postal vote for the Ward List, which is used for Common Council and Aldermanic elections, you can complete the below paper form or a form can be posted to you.

Ward List - postal vote application form PDF (136KB)

Date submitted: 25/01/22

If you would like to vote by post for all elections and you are registered on both the Ward List and Electoral Register, you must complete both application forms separately.

Applying to vote by post

Completed postal vote application form can be scanned or clearly photographed and emailed to the Electoral Services Team. The form must include your date of birth and signature, and must be signed by hand. If you are applying for the Electoral Register, it must also include your national insurance number.

Alternatively you can post forms to:

Electoral Services
Guildhall, Aldermanbury
London EC2V 7HH

If you do not have access to a printer, contact the Electoral Services team and an application form can be posted to you.

Receiving your postal vote

Postal votes are usually sent out around 10 days before election day. Once you have received your postal voting pack read the enclosed instructions, complete your postal vote and return it us as soon as possible in the prepaid envelopes provided.

We can send ballot papers worldwide but you need to ensure there is enough time to receive, complete and return the forms or they may not be counted. Alternatively, you can appoint somebody else to vote on your behalf as a proxy.

You have until the close of poll on election day to return your postal vote to us. If it arrives later than this time it will not be counted.

Once you have been issued a postal vote you cannot vote at a polling station. However you can drop your postal vote off at a polling station that is in the same ward or constituency.