Renewing your postal voting arrangements
Following changes introduced by the Elections Act 2022, postal voters are now required to reapply for their postal vote up to every three years.
All postal voters who made their current application before 31 October 2023 are required to reapply for their postal vote by 31 January 2026. If a new application is not received by this date we will be required by law to cancel your postal vote and you will be reverted to vote in a polling station until a new postal vote application is received.
We will be contacting affected electors in the coming weeks about this process and how to reapply. We have started the renewal process early to allow electors time to reapply and for applications to be processed and queries responded to in sufficient time in advance of scheduled elections in 2026.
We will be sending an initial email to all electors we hold an email address for, which will be sent from sunderland.electoral.registration@notifications.service.gov.uk . All other postal voters affected will receive a letter in May 2025 which will contain information on what to do next.
The quickest and easiest way to reapply for a postal vote is online.
Apply for a postal vote
As part of your application, you will be required to provide your:
· Date of birth
· National Insurance Number
· Upload a photo or scanned copy of your handwritten signature in black ink on plain white paper.
Affected postal voters who do not respond to this request will receive a reminder later in the year. If you do not provide a new application by 31st January 2026, we are required by law to cancel your postal vote,and you will be reverted to vote in person at a polling station until a new postal vote application is received. To vote in a polling station you are now required to bring in an accepted form of photo ID on the day.
The Elections Act 2022 introduced the following changes for voters who applied after 31st October 2023:
- Electors can apply online to vote by post
- Electors must prove your identity as part of the application process. Your identity will be verified against records held by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). If this identity check fails, you must provide evidence of your identity.
- Postal vote applications are now valid for a maximum period of 3 years. You need to reapply at the end of that time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the email I have received genuine?
So that you can spot a genuine email from us:
· the email title will be Sunderland City Council - Postal Vote Renewal Notice
- the sender will be sunderland.electoral.registration@notifications.service.gov.uk
Some members of the same household may be contacted in different ways depending on whether we have an email address or not.
We are using emails where a voter has provided an email address to reduce our carbon footprint and to reduce the cost of sending letters by post.
Please help us by responding to our request for information as soon as possible.
How do I reapply for a postal vote?
You can apply for a postal vote online at Apply for a postal vote - GOV.UK
As part of your application, you will be required to provide your:
· Date of birth
· National Insurance Number
· Upload a photo of your handwritten signature in black ink on plain white paper.
If you are unable to complete your application online you can download a paper application form at Application to vote by post in England or request a paper application form by emailing electoral.registration@sunderland.gov.uk or calling 0191 520 5550.
I can't sign consistently, what can I do?
If you are unable to provide a signature or a consistent signature but still want to vote by post, you can apply for a postal vote without giving your signature. You can do this online at Apply for a postal vote - GOV.UK . You will be required to provide a reason why you are unable to provide a consistent signature.
If you have had help completing the application, that person will be required to supply their details.
If you prefer to complete a paper application, please contact us by phone or email and request a waiver declaration to be sent to you. The waiver declaration needs to be returned with your postal vote application form.
How to upload a signature online?
You can find information here How to upload your signature - Apply for a postal vote - GOV.UK.
I am unsure what my national insurance number is?
You must prove your identity as part of the application process.
Your National Insurance Number (NINO) will be verified against records held by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). If this identity check fails, you must provide evidence of your identity.
Get help to Find your National Insurance number - GOV.UK here.
If you are unable to provide your national insurance number, you'll need to provide some documents so that we can confirm your identity.
I no longer wish to vote by post, what do I need to do?
Cancellation of postal votes must be made in writing this can be done by emailing electoral.registration@sunderland.gov.uk or by letter to
Electoral Services
Sunderland City Council
City Hall
Plater Way
Sunderland
SR1 3AA
In your correspondence it should include your full name and address.
Be aware that if you are no longer a postal voter, you now need to bring an accepted form of photo ID with you to vote in a polling station. For more information about this go to Voter ID | Electoral Commission
What are my personal identifiers and how they are used?
On your application to vote by post you must provide your date of birth and signature (your 'personal identifiers'). When you vote by post you complete and return a statement giving your personal identifiers. We check the personal identifiers on your statement against those you gave on your application to check that they match. If they do not match, your vote cannot be counted. This is to prevent someone else from using your vote.
Your personal identifiers are always kept separate from your ballot paper, so no-one knows how you have voted.
When is the next scheduled election?
The next scheduled election will be the local government elections which will be held on Thursday 7 May 2026.
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