By Post
You need to be registered before you can apply for a postal vote. For more information about this, visit our Elections Home Page.
When will my postal vote be sent?
For existing postal voters plus new applications processed by 30 May 2024 -Your postal vote pack will be sent out on 19 June 2024.
Applications processed by 19 June 2024 - Your postal vote pack will be sent out around the week starting 24 June 2024.
If you are concerned about this, you could apply for a proxy vote so that someone else could vote on your behalf.
The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 5 p.m. on June 26, 2024. However, if you have a postal vote in place already, you will need to cancel it before 5 p.m. on June 19, 2024.
You can apply for a proxy vote online; this also has more information about voting by proxy.
Why aren’t postal votes sent out as soon as an application comes in?
Candidate nominations closed at 16:00 on Friday 7 June, so ballot papers could only be finalised and sent to print after that.
Due to the short notice for the 4 July UK Parliamentary General Election, specialist election printers and Royal Mail are working at capacity to print and deliver over 8 million postal votes across the UK.
It’s a complicated process, with personalised postal vote statements matched with the correct ballot paper. There is also a need to produce personalised envelopes and instruction sheets. We also need to carry out crucial security checks which add to the time needed to prepare and send votes out.
Postal votes for overseas electors have early priority because of the extra time it takes for international mail to be delivered and returned.
What if I’m going on holiday before my vote is likely to arrive?
If you applied for a postal vote and don’t think you’ll be home to return it by post on Thursday 4 July, you can drop your completed postal vote pack in to your polling station. You must complete a form when you hand it in.
If you won’t be back in time to use your postal vote, you can instead appoint someone you trust as a proxy to vote on your behalf. You will need to
- cancel your postal vote by 17:00 on Wednesday 19 June. This will happen automatically when you appoint a proxy, but you can contact us to talk about other options to cancel.
- make a proxy application by 17:00 on Wednesday 26 June
- The person you appoint as a proxy must
- be a registered parliamentary elector who can vote in this election.
- only be a proxy for up to two electors living in the UK, plus up to two people living abroad, or up to four people living abroad.
- Your proxy can:
- Vote in person on your behalf at your polling station. They will have to show their own accepted form of photo ID to be able to vote or
- vote by post for you but must apply for a proxy postal vote by 17:00 on Wednesday 19 June.
Since 31 October 2023 applications to vote by postal has changed. Now when you apply for a postal vote, you will need to supply your National Insurance Number, as well as your name, address and date of birth so the Department of Work and Pensions can verify your identity.
How to apply for a Postal Vote:
Easy Read Guide: How to Vote by Post
5 pm on 19 June is the deadline for the below to apply at the United Kingdom Parliamentary General Election on 4 July 2024
- New postal vote applications
- Changes to existing postal vote arrangements e.g., cancelling your postal vote.
You can apply for a Postal Vote online, and You will need to be able to upload a photo of your handwritten signature as part of the application.
OR
You can complete a Postal Vote application form, this form can be completed and sent to us.
Postal Vote handling changes:
How you can use your Postal Vote has changed, and these are the new rules that The government have put in place.
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If you hand your postal vote in person to a Polling Station or the Civic Centre, you will need to complete a 'return of postal voting documents' form.
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You can only post your postal vote via Royal Mail and not through the Civic Center letterbox.
- The Postal Vote will be rejected if it is left in a Polling station or the Civic Centre without a completed 'Return of postal vote documents' form.
- There is a limit on the number of postal votes a person can hand in at a Polling Station or the Civic Centre.
- You will not be allowed to hand in more than five postal ballot packs for other electors plus your own (6 in total)
- If a person hands in more than five postal ballot packs for other electors, all the postal votes (other than their own) will be rejected
How paper Postal Vote Applications should be returned to us:
By post: You can post the form to Electoral Services Officer C1, Dartford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Home Gardens, Dartford DA1 1DR
By email: You can send a clear scanned copy or high-quality photograph as an email attachment to IER@dartford.gov.uk. Please remember to include your name and address in the email.
It should also be noted that postal vote packs must be returned by the close of polling hours on the day of an election to be included in the count. Any received after that time will not be included.
By Proxy
You need to be registered before you can apply for a postal vote. For more information about this, visit our Elections Home Page.
Since 31 October 2023, applications to vote by proxy have changed. Now, when you apply for a proxy vote, you will need to supply your National Insurance Number, as well as your name, address and date of birth so the Department of Work and Pensions can verify your identity.
You can apply for someone to vote on your behalf. This person is called a 'proxy'. You will have to give a reason why you cannot vote in person, such as disability or employment, and your application may need to be supported by your doctor or employer.
Easy Read Guide: How to Vote by Proxy
How to apply for a proxy vote:
5 pm 19 June is the deadline for the following to apply at the United Kingdom Parliamentary General Election on 4 July 2024
- Amendments or cancellations of postal proxy vote applications
- Changes to existing proxy vote arrangements
5 pm on 25 June is the deadline for the following to apply at the United Kingdom Parliamentary General Election on 4 July 2024
- New proxy vote applications (excluding emergency applications
You can apply for a Proxy Vote online. You will need to be able to upload a photo of your handwritten signature as part of the application.
OR
You can complete the relevant Proxy vote application form. This form can be completed and sent to us.
How paper Proxy Vote Applications should be returned to us:
By post: You can post the form to Electoral Services Officer C1, Dartford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Home Gardens, Dartford DA1 1DR
By email: You can send a clear scanned copy or high-quality photograph as an email attachment to IER@dartford.gov.uk. Please remember to include your name and address in the email.