Voting by Post

Changes to postal vote handling and secrecy: UK Parliament elections including by-elections and recall petitions, and Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

These provisions will be in effect for polls taking place on 2 May 2024

Limits of handing in postal votes at polling station

Postal Voters will only be able to hand in your own postal vote, and the postal votes of up to five other people, at a polling station. If a person hands in more than five postal votes for other electors, all the postal votes (other than their own) will be rejected. If there is a reason to suspect that you have already handed in the maximum number of postal votes on any previous occasion at the election, any subsequent postal votes handed in will be rejected.

Completion of postal vote return form

Anyone handing in postal votes will need to complete a postal vote return form.

If the form is not completed with all the required information, or to the authorised officer’s satisfaction, the postal vote(s) will be rejected. Rejected postal votes will not be included in the count.

Postal votes which are ‘left behind’

Postal votes will not be accepted if they are simply left at a polling station. If a person hands in a postal vote without completing the postal vote return form the ‘left behind’ postal votes must be rejected.

Handing in postal votes to the Returning Officer

Handing in postal votes directly to the Returning Officer in advance of the election, and by 10pm on polling day itself. The same restriction limits, and requirement to complete a form which apply at polling station, will also apply to postal votes handed to the Returning Officer at:

  • Neuadd Cyngor Ceredigion, Penmorfa, Abeaeron SA46 0PA.

Postal votes handed in at any other council address will not be accepted as there will be nobody present to provide and sign the postal vote return form. Any postal votes which are left at any council building without the postal vote return form being completed will be rejected. We cannot accept any postal votes which are left in the council mailbox, or which are put in the internal mail system.

Secrecy requirements extended to postal and proxy votes

The secrecy requirements which apply at a polling station are being extended to postal and proxy votes. It will be an offence to try to find out how someone has voted when completing their postal vote, or to communicate how a postal or proxy voter has voted. Anyone found guilty of breaching the secrecy requirements could face a fine or imprisonment up to six months.

Political campaigners

Campaigners can only hand in their own postal vote, and postal votes for up to five other people that are either close relatives, or someone they provide regular care for. They are not banned from handling postal votes if they do so in the course of their usual duties (for example, if they work for Royal Mail).

The new postal vote handling legislation does not apply to Senedd and Local council elections in Wales.

For further information on the changes to postal vote handling, please contact electoralservices@ceredigion.gov.uk or phone 01545 572032.