Postal voters in South Leeds are to receive information in the coming weeks advising them of new rules which mean they need to renew their details to be able to continue to vote by post in future elections.
As a result of changes introduced by the government’s Elections Act 2022, postal voters now need renew their application to do so every three years. For anyone who applied to vote by post before 31 October 2023, that means they need to complete the reapplication process before 31 January 2026 in order to be able to keep voting using that method.
From today, Leeds City Council’s elections team will begin contacting the more than 156,000 registered postal voters in the city directly by email or post informing them of the new rules and encouraging them to reapply as soon as possible ahead of the deadline. The council will also be issuing messaging on its social media channels to increase awareness of what postal voters need to do.
The quickest and easiest way to renew a postal vote application is online via reapply for a postal vote online.
As part of the changes introduced by the government, all postal vote applications must contain the applicant’s name, address, date of birth, national insurance number and signature.
Their identity will be verified against records held by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). If this check fails, the applicant must provide further evidence of their identity.
For those receiving the message by email, it will come from electoral.services.leeds.city.council@notifications.service.gov.uk as the sender, and will be titled: ‘Your postal voting arrangement is due to expire – action required’.
For those unsure of clicking on links included in emails, the process can also be accessed instead via the government website at reapply for a postal vote online.
If anyone is unable to complete the application online, paper copies of the application form can be downloaded via Apply for a postal vote (paper forms) – GOV.UK.
Anyone who does not respond to this round of messaging will receive another invitation to do so, closer to the postal vote expiry date of 31 January 2026. If they do not reapply by the expiry date their postal vote will be cancelled.
With no local or regional elections scheduled to take place in Leeds this year, the next scheduled local government elections in Leeds will be held on Thursday 7 May 2026.
This post is based on a press release issued by Leeds City Council
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