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Reapplying for a postal vote

Information and guidance on how to reapply for a postal vote for elections

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 30 January 2024 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 electors will have to vote in a polling station until a new postal vote application is received or if a proxy is appointed.

To vote in a polling station all electors are now required to bring in an accepted form of photo ID on the day.

We will be contacting all those affected by this change in the coming months explaining how to reapply.

We will be sending an initial email to all electors we hold an email address for, which will be sent from the Government’s Secure NOTIFY system.

All other postal voters affected, for whom we do not hold an email, will receive a letter which will contain information on what to do next.

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

Reapply for a postal vote

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

  • Your date of birth
  • Your National Insurance Number
  • A photo or scanned copy of your handwritten signature in black ink on plain white paper

Postal Voting: What you need to know

Identifying genuine emails from Torbay Council

If you receive an email about postal voting, you can confirm it is genuine if:

  • The subject line is "Notice to reapply for a postal vote"
  • The sender is Electoral Services – Torbay Council

Some members of the same household may receive different types of communication depending on whether we have their email address. We use email to reduce the cost of sending letters by post. Please respond as soon as possible if you receive one.

Why you must reapply for a postal vote

Due to changes introduced by the Elections Act 2022, all postal voters must reapply every three years to continue voting by post.

How to apply for a postal vote

You can apply online. You will need to provide:

  • Your date of birth
  • Your National Insurance Number
  • A photo of your handwritten signature in black ink on plain white paper

If you cannot apply online, you can:

If you cannot provide a consistent signature

If you are unable to sign consistently, you can still apply for a postal vote. You must:

  • Explain why you cannot provide a consistent signature
  • Provide the details of anyone who helped you complete the form

To apply by post, request a waiver declaration by contacting us. This must be returned with your postal vote application.

Find out how to upload your signature.

Uploading your signature

Guidance on how to upload your signature is available on the postal vote application page.

If you don’t know your national insurance number

Your identity will be verified using your National Insurance Number (NINO). If you don’t know it, you can find your NINO.

Get help to find your National Insurance number.

If the identity check fails, you will need to provide other documents to confirm your identity.

Cancelling your postal vote

To cancel your postal vote, contact us by:

Include your full name and address.

If you cancel your postal vote, you must bring an accepted form of photo ID to vote at a polling station. For more information, visit the Electoral Commission’s voter ID page.

Changes to the postal voting process

From 31 October 2023, the Elections Act 2022 introduced the following changes:

  • Voters can apply for a postal vote online
  • Identity verification is required (via the Department for Work and Pensions)
  • Postal vote applications are valid for a maximum of three years

Understanding personal identifiers

When applying to vote by post, you must provide your date of birth and signature. These are your personal identifiers.

When you vote by post, you must return a statement with these identifiers. They are checked against your application. If they do not match, your vote will not be counted.

Your identifiers are kept separate from your ballot paper to ensure your vote remains confidential.

Next scheduled election

The next scheduled elections in Torbay are the Local Council Elections in May 2027.

Contact Elections