Vote by post

Voting by post has changed

From 31 October 2023, the way you apply to vote by post changed. You now also need to provide your National Insurance number. This is so the personal identifiers you provide can be checked for security and verification reasons.

You can also apply for a postal vote online on GOV.UK. You'll still be able to apply using a paper form or at our office at the Town Hall, if you prefer.

If you do apply for a postal vote, you'll only be able to have a postal vote for a maximum of 3 years. Once those 3 years expire, you'll need to submit a fresh application.

Anyone who's registered to vote can apply to vote by post. You do not need a reason to do so. Voting by post is an easy and convenient way of voting if you're unable to get to the polling station.

If you're registered to vote and would like to request a postal vote, you'll need to complete application form. This would then need to be returned to the electoral registration office.

To find out more information and download an application form, visit the About My Vote website using the link below.

Apply to vote by post

Returning your postal vote

You can return your postal vote in any Royal Mail post box, where it will be posted back to us 1st class to be counted. You do not need to pay for a stamp. Simply follow the instructions provided in your postal voting pack to envelope your ballot papers and security statement. We need to have received your postal vote by 10pm on the day of the election for it to be counted. In addition to posting your postal vote back, you can also return it by hand up to 10pm on polling day.

On any weekday (excluding bank holidays), you can return your postal vote by hand to the Elections Office at the Town Hall. The Elections Office public reception can be found at:

Elections Office
Town Hall
Edward Street
Stockport
SK1 3XE

The office is accessed via Lacy Street and is signposted, but any other reception at the Civic Complex will be able to point you in the right direction. The office is open to the public from 9am to 5pm. On election day, it will be open until 10pm.

Additionally, you can also hand in your postal vote to any polling station in your ward on election day. Polling stations open at 7am and will be open until 10pm. You can find your local polling station using the tool on our find your polling station webpage.

Please note that when handing in your postal vote, either at the polling station or council offices, you will need to complete a Postal Vote Hand In form. Our staff will be able to assist you in doing so. You can only return your own postal vote and up to 5 others at any one election.

If you're unable to sign your form

If you're unable to sign your form, or you're unable to sign it in a consistent way, special provisions can be made to remove the requirement to sign. This is called a signature waiver and means you'll only need to provide your date of birth when completing your postal voting statement. Note you must have a valid reason to need a waiver for the request to be granted.

For more information, or to make this request, contact our elections office and specify you'd like to apply for a signature waiver for your postal vote.

If you're not currently on the electoral register, you'll need to register to vote on GOV.UK before you can request a postal vote.