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  1. Home
  2. About the council
  3. Voting and elections
  4. Voter registration

Elections on 2 May

Elections for the next Mayor of London and London Assembly members, as well as the by-election for Hillrise ward, will take place on Thursday 2 May.

You must now show photo ID when you vote at polling stations. See a full list of accepted forms of ID. You can also apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate in place of photo ID. The deadline to apply for this is 5pm, Wednesday 24 April.

Ballot box icon

Postal voting

Information and guidance on how to apply for a postal vote.

If you can't or don't want to vote in person at your polling station, you can apply for a postal vote. You can apply online through GOV.UK or by post using a paper form.

For elections on 2 May 2024 you must apply for a postal vote before 5pm on Wednesday 17 April 2024.

What you need to apply for a postal vote

You will need your national insurance number to apply. You must be registered to vote already.

When to apply and when you will receive your postal vote

You must reapply to vote by post every three years.

  • Apply as early as possible, but at least 11 days before polling day.
  • After applying, you will get a postal pack with your ballot paper in it around a week before polling day.
  • You must complete your postal pack and return it before the poll closes at 10pm on polling day.

You can only hand in up to five postal ballot packs at a polling station, as well as your own. Political parties and campaigners are banned from handling postal vote packs.

How to apply for a postal vote

Online

Fill in the online application form on GOV.UK.

Apply online

Paper form

Or you can download a paper form from GOV.UK, fill it in and print it, then return the form to us at:

Electoral Services
Town Hall
Upper Street
London
N1 2UD.

How to return your postal vote

Return your completed postal vote ballot by your preferred postal option. Completed postal votes must reach the Returning Officer by 10pm on polling day, Thursday 2 May 2024.

Hand delivery and returns form

If you want to hand deliver your postal vote to our offices or to your polling station, from 2024 you need to complete a return form as well as handing in your vote.

Any forms that are hand-delivered without a return form will be rejected. We will have forms ready for you to complete at all polling stations and in the Electoral Services Office, Town Hall, Upper Street, London N1 2UD.

By law, you can only hand in your own postal vote, and those of up to five others.

Contact us

If you have any questions about postal voting:

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Data protection: We will handle your personal information in line with the Data Protection Act 1998 and in accordance with the council’s Fair Processing Notice.