New rules introduced by the Elections Act 2022 about handling of postal votes apply to the UK General Election.
The changes are as follows:
- Parties and campaigners will no longer be allowed to handle certain completed postal votes and postal vote envelopes. This means that Representatives of Political Parties and their agents will no longer be able to collect postal votes from voters and hand them in to the Council office. Voters must return completed postal votes themselves.
- Voters will not be allowed to hand in more than five postal ballot packs (in addition to their own). When handing in postal votes, voters will need to complete a form. Voters will need to include their name and address, how many postal votes they are handing in and why they are handing in those postal votes. Postal votes will be rejected if the form is not completed or they hand in more postal votes than is allowed.
- You should return your completed postal vote as soon as you can by taking it to a post box yourself. If you can't post it yourself, you can ask someone you know and trust to post it for you. Avoid asking a candidate or party worker to post it for you. At UK Parliament elections, it is an offence for campaigners, candidates and party workers to handle the postal votes of anyone who is not a close relative or someone they provide care for.
- If you can't post your postal vote in time, you can take it your polling station by 10pm on polling day. You will need to complete a form when handing in your postal vote at a polling station. When you complete this form you will need to include your name and address, how many postal votes you are handing in and why you are handing in those postal votes.