Chelmsford residents urged to renew their postal votes

Following Government changes to voting laws, those who registered to vote by post before 31 October 2023 must now reapply for their postal vote.

Renewing your postal vote is important as it allows you to vote in any upcoming general or local elections (including mayoral elections). 

The council’s Electoral Services team are contacting current postal voters by email to let them know what they need to do to renew their vote. If you have received an email, please read it carefully so you understand what you need to do next.

Why do I need to renew my postal vote now?

The Elections Act 2022 introduced new rules for postal voters.

The new rules mean that postal votes will now only be valid for up to three years before they expire. So, if you applied for a permanent postal vote before 31 October 2023, your postal vote will expire on 31 January 2026.

If you want to continue voting by post, you need to submit a new application before this date. If you do not reapply, you will have to go back to voting in person.

How do I reapply for my postal vote?

You can renew your postal vote now by visiting the gov.uk website.

If the council’s Electoral Services team have an email address on file for you, they will contact you to remind you to renew your postal vote. They will email from the same address that they use for the annual canvass (chelmsford.city.council.electoral.services@notifications.service.gov.uk).

The email will give you information about how to renew your postal vote. The easiest way to do this is via the gov.uk website but there are other options if you cannot renew your postal vote online.

If you do not respond to the email, or the team do not have an email address for you, they will write to you at your home address.

If you do not renew your postal vote, your postal vote will expire on 31 January 2026.

To find out more, visit Chelmsford City Council’s website