Renewing your existing postal vote application

The application process for a postal vote has changed. You must now apply for your postal vote every three years. This is a change to the traditional five-yearly signature refresh process.

If you applied for a postal vote before 30 January 2024, you must apply again by 31 January 2026 to remain a postal voter. 

Over the next few months, we will be contacting every elector whose postal vote period is due to expire. This communication will include instructions on how to make a new application.

We will be sending communications out in batches between June and December based on original application dates. We will have contacted everyone who needs to renew their postal vote by January 2026.

So that you can spot a genuine email from us:

• the email title will be ‘North Somerset Council - postal vote renewal’
• the sender will be: electoral.services@n-somerset.gov.uk

If we do not have an email address for you or you do not reply to our email, we will send you a letter in December.

Help us to minimise costs by responding to your renewal notice email as soon as possible.

Email electoral.services@n-somerset.gov.uk if you no longer wish to vote by post. In your email, include your name, address and a request to remove your postal vote application.

The Elections Act 2022 introduced changes to the way people apply for a postal vote for applications received from 31 October 2023:

• all postal vote applications must contain the applicant's name, address, date of birth, national insurance number and signature
• the applicant's identity must be verified against records held by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). If this identity check fails, the applicant must provide evidence of their identity
• postal votes are now valid for a maximum of three years

If you do not renew by 31 January 2026, your current postal voting arrangement will be cancelled.

We have started the renewal process early to allow you to apply in advance of any scheduled elections.