Dear Parish/Town Clerk
I am just writing to let you know due to changes within the Elections Act 2022, postal vote applications now only last up to 3 years. They actually expire on the 3rd 31 January from the date of application.
We have to contact all existing postal voters – 10,300 of them and ask them to reapply via the Government’s website before 31 January 2026 or else their postal vote falls. 9,300 of these have applied since the law changed and you had to submit your NI Number – we are targeting these electors last, as virtually all of these electors have emails and have been through the process once of applying online.
This is a formal legal process, however prior to this starting this June we are targeting over 5,500 of these who have emails. I am doing this in batches by ward over the next 2 months. I am starting next week with the wards with less than 200 postal voters with an email, prior to sending out the largest areas including Saffron Walden and Great Dunmow after Easter.
The emails go out via Gov.Notify and look like the following extract (NOTE – this is only the first part of the emailed letter):
The formal stage will start in June, with a letter or email on similar lines. We shall follow this up with a reminder as we don’t want to see a significant fall in our postal votes. Some will no doubt not renew but they can apply at any time and most likely will do so when an election is called.
All applications have to be submitted via https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote
If someone is not confident in doing this, or doesn’t have access to the internet, we are encouraging a friend or relative to help them or they can come to our offices in Saffron Walden where we shall do this for them. A signature has to be uploaded. On request we shall post some paper applications but we want to keep this to a minimum.
I just wanted you to be aware of this process and if you can help by encouraging anyone who receives a letter or email to take action and reassuring them that this is a legitimate communication, please do so.
Though we legally do not need to send a reminder – we will and I will also look to sending a final communication after we have published the revised register on 1 December, saying on the lines of “just 6 weeks left to reapply – take action now!”
I am also sending this message to all Parish Clerks for information.
You will also see it in in Bulletins and on our website and in social media messages. For more information: https://www.uttlesford.gov.uk/postal-vote-renewal
Best wishes
Phil Hardy
Electoral Services Manager & Deputy ERO
Register to vote at www.gov.uk/registertovote
Apply for a postal vote www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote
Apply for a proxy vote www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote
If you are to vote in person at a polling station – remember your photo ID!