A number of changes to how we vote were introduced from October 2023. For example, I think most of us now know that we need to take ID with us if we go to vote in person at a polling station. But, at the same time, a number of changes were also made to postal and proxy voting.
For example, to apply for an absent vote, applicants now need to provide their National Insurance (NI) number or a reason why they cannot provide one, so that the application can be verified against Department of Work and Pensions data. How many of us knew about that?
The main purpose of this article, however, is to inform people with permanent postal votes about changes to them, as they are no longer permanent but now only last a maximum of THREE YEARS. In other words, if you have a “permanent” postal vote that has been in place since before 31st October 2023 and if you wish to vote in the Lambeth Council elections that are scheduled to take place on Thursday 7th May 2026, you will need to apply for a new three-year postal vote before the deadline which will be sometime in April. If your “permanent” postal vote was applied for after 31st October 2023, it will be valid until the third January following the date on which your application was granted.
For more information on all the changes to postal and proxy voting, you can visit this link https://www.local.gov.uk/about/our-meetings-and-leadership/political-composition/local-government-elections/changes-postal-0
Colette Whitehead