Postal vote renewal process - winter 2025-26
As part of the changes noted below, all postal voters who made their most recent application three or more years ago must now make a full re-application. The simplest and cheapest way is via the government's Apply for a postal vote page on GOV.UK. You will need to take a well-lit picture of your normal signature in dark ink (black or blue) on plain white paper. You will be asked to upload this at the appropriate part of the process.
Emails will be sent to encourage postal voters to re-apply. They will be sent via the government's GovNotify service and will be shown as coming from the following email address: "Elections - Oxford City Council elections.oxford.city.council@notifications.service.gov.uk", with the title "ACTION REQUIRED - Postal Vote Reapplication".
If we don't have an email address for you, a paper letter will be sent.
To retain your postal vote arrangement you must re-apply by the end of January 2026. Otherwise your arrangement will be cancelled and you will revert to voting in person at your polling station.
If you need a paper form you can download one from the Apply for a postal vote page on GOV.UK or email elections@oxford.gov.uk.
Important electoral changes effective 31 October 2023
From 31 October 2023, new provisions will apply to all election types in England:
- electors can apply for postal and certain proxy votes using a new online form, available from 31 October 2023, on the GOV.UK postal votes page or the GOV.UK proxy votes page
- new identity verification requirements will be introduced for all absent vote applications, online or by paper, except for emergency proxies
- applications will undergo a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) check, similar to voter registration applications
- for applicants who can't be verified by DWP, an exceptions process and, if necessary, an attestation process will follow
- postal vote arrangements will be valid for a maximum of three years, after which a new application is required
- the number of electors for whom a person can act as a proxy will be limited to four, with no more than two being domestic electors
- electors with a permanent proxy vote must reapply for their proxy vote before 31 January 2024. Affected electors will be contacted in due course
