Your vote decides the future for the North West Essex constituency.
There are new Postal Vote Handling measures which came into force on May 2nd 2024.
You can apply online for a postal vote via the GOV.UK website.
You can apply for a postal vote:
- for one election
- for a set period of time
- 3 year maximum period
Please note: if you apply for a postal vote about 6 weeks before the poll, the actual postal ballot paper will not be posted to you until about 10 days before the poll. If you are going on holiday, you may want to check with us the actual despatch dates before applying.
There will no longer be an option to permanently hold a postal vote, instead after a maximum period of three years voters will need to reapply for a postal vote.
If you elect to vote by post, you cannot then go in person to the polling station to vote. You can however, hand your postal vote into the polling station or Uttlesford District Council offices if you have not posted it back to us. However, you must complete a Postal Vote Handling Form giving your name and address whether this is at the council offices or at a polling station. Without this, your ballot paper will be invalid and will be rejected. There is also a limit of 5 postal vote packs plus the electors' own that can be returned by hand. Political campaigners are also banned on handling postal votes, this includes candidates and their agents. Campaigners can only handle postal votes for close family members. Please refer to the briefing notes for political campaigners (PDF) [232KB] on what is allowed. This must be either the polling station at which you would otherwise vote, or a polling station within the same electoral area, a maximum of 6 postal votes can be delivered by one person.