For those who watch the news on election day, images of people visiting polling stations to vote are the most well known. However, there is another way to vote – by post.
Postal voting is a way of voting in an election – from your own home – without having to go to your local polling station. But why would you do that?
Well, the local election is rapidly approaching on 7 May, when you can have your say on who should run Ealing Council. And some people might not be able to get to a polling station on election day. They may be away on holiday, unable to attend between 7am and 10pm (when polls open and close), or might just find it difficult to travel to a polling station.
Voting by post is a secure and convenient option for people to vote in the election and you do not need a reason to apply for a postal vote – anyone can register for one.
How do you vote by post?
The deadline to apply for a postal vote for the local elections is 5pm on Tuesday 21 April.
You must already be registered to vote before you can ask to vote by post. If you are not already registered, you can register to vote on the government’s website.
If you are registered to vote, you will then need to apply for postal voting but it is easy to do. There are 3 ways to apply for a postal vote:
- applying online
- downloading, printing and completing a postal vote application form
- contacting Ealing Council’s elections office by emailing elections@ealing.gov.uk or calling 020 8825 7777 to request a paper application form.
When applying for a postal vote, you need to provide your date of birth, national insurance number and signature.
Residents who choose to vote by post will then receive their ballot papers and instructions for voting by post, through the post, approximately 14 days before polling day. For your postal vote to be counted, it must arrive back at the return address before 10pm on Thursday 7 May.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about postal voting or would like more information about the local elections, you can contact the council’s election team by calling 020 8825 7777 between 8:30am and 5pm (Monday – Friday) or by emailing elections@ealing.gov.uk
