If you can't visit a polling station on polling day, or would prefer not to, you can apply to vote by post.

Your ballot paper will be sent to you - by post - a week or two before polling day.

You are then able to complete your ballot paper (alongside any relevant paperwork) and send it back via post. A freepost envelope with a return address will be sent to you, alongside your ballot paper.

You are also able to hand in your ballot paper to a polling station on polling day (between 7am - 10pm). This will need to be a polling station within your own electoral area - and usually within your own ward.

The Elections Act 2022 brought some changes to how elections are run:

  • postal voters must reapply to vote by post every three years
  • political parties and campaigners will be banned from handling postal vote packs
  • there will be a limit as to how many postal vote packs a person can hand in to a polling station

Apply for a postal vote

You can apply for a postal vote online. You will need to provide your National Insurance number to hand when you apply.

Apply for a postal vote online

If you require our assistance - or are unable to apply online - please contact our Elections team on 0300 1234000 (Option 7).

Refreshing signatures of absent voters

Each January, we send a written notice to every absent voter (postal and proxy voters) who has not updated their signature for more than five years. This notice will ask you to confirm your date of birth, and provide an up-to-date signature.

We will use this information to replace the information you provided when you originally applied to be an absent voter.

You can also use the notice to cancel your absent vote, if you no longer need it.

If you do not reply to the written notice, we will send you a reminder notice.

If you do not reply to the reminder notice, we will cancel your absent vote. You will have to vote in person, at a polling station.

How we use your information

We collect your personal information for the following purposes:

  • to carry out our statutory obligation of ensuring that all eligible persons in Babergh and Mid Suffolk are registered to vote
  • to enable eligible persons to stand as candidates in elections, in accordance with statutory requirements
  • to enable all registered electors to participate as voters in elections and referendums

Please read our Privacy notice for electoral registration and elections for more information.