Postal vote renewal 2025-2026

Under the Elections Act 2022, new rules for postal votes were introduced on 31 October 2023. This included reducing the number of years a postal vote can be held for before it expires to 3 years. 

As part of any new application or re-application, postal voters must now prove their identity. This is why we now must take a National Insurance number in addition to a date of birth & signature.

Who Needs to Re-Apply?

Postal votes held before 31 January 2024 expired on 31 January 2026.

Now that the 31 January 2026 deadline has passed, electors can still apply for a postal vote using the online form above as normal (election deadlines apply).

Cancelling Your Postal Vote

If a postal vote expired on 31 January 2026, electors will have been contacted by email and/or letter. If we received no response to our final communication, then a postal vote would have automatically been removed. Where postal votes were removed, electors will be invited to vote at their local polling station for future elections.

A final cancellation letter will be sent in February. We will provide postal vote forms with these letters should you wish to re-instate a postal vote.

If you still have a postal voting arrangement that you would like to cancel, please confirm this in writing by sending an email to elections@tameside.gov.uk with your name and full address.