Voters who need a postal vote or proxy vote for upcoming elections can now apply online in just a few minutes instead of completing and returning a paper form. You’ll just need to have your National Insurance number to hand to help verify your identity.
These changes are part of the Elections Act 2022 which saw the introduction of a voter ID requirement at elections in May 2023. The Government have made some other changes to postal and proxy voting including how long a postal vote can last for and how many people you can act as a proxy for.
Previously, a postal vote could be permanent. The changes mean that a postal vote will now last for up to three years before you need to re-apply. If you currently have a permanent postal vote, it will expire on 31 January 2026. Affected postal voters will be contacted by the Council with a reminder when they need to reapply for their postal vote. You can find out more about postal voting on our website.
Anyone with a current proxy vote will need to reapply by 31 January 2024, even if you have an indefinite arrangement in place. The Council will be contacting those affected by the change, soon. Additionally, the number of people that you can act as a proxy for has been capped at two, plus up to two more voters who are overseas or service voters. Find out more about proxy voting on our website.
More information about voting, elections and democracy is available on the Council website. Residents can also contact the Elections team by emailing elections@derby.gov.uk or calling 01332 640837.