People registered to vote by post in Westmorland and Furness are being advised to submit new postal vote applications in letters sent by the council’s electoral services team following changes to the applications process.
In order to reduce fraudulent submissions, all postal vote applicants must now provide personal identifiers, including their name, date of birth and National Insurance number, as well as an up-to-date sample of their signature.
People who have not yet applied for a postal vote under the new process must do so before 31 January 2026, or their existing postal vote registration will expire and they will need to vote in-person at their polling station, until they submit a new application to vote by post.
For Westmorland and Furness, this means that over 21,000 postal voters must now re-apply. The council is beginning the process of writing to them now to ensure that there’s enough time for voters to submit their applications and for the council to process them, before the January deadline.
The quickest way to apply to vote by post is online at www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote
In addition to applying for a postal vote online, voters can also complete and return the application form included in the letter. Alternatively, they can hand deliver their application forms, during usual business hours, to one of the council’s anchor buildings listed below.
- Barrow Town Hall, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness LA14 2LD
- Kendal Town Hall, Highgate, Kendal LA9 4DL
- Voreda House, Portland Place, Penrith CA11 7BF
Westmorland and Furness Council’s Chief Legal and Monitoring Officer, Linda Jones, said, “At an election, we compare the signature and date of birth on your application to vote by post against the signature and date of birth on your postal voting statement.
“This helps us ensure that it was you who completed your postal vote and no one else. Your signature can change over time, so it is important to re-apply to provide us with a fresh copy of your signature.”
Registered voters, who no longer want to vote by post, should inform the council in writing to avoid reminders being sent to your registered address. The easiest way is by sending an email to elections3@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk stating your name, address, and that you no longer wish to vote by post.
If you can’t sign, or can’t sign in the same way every time due to a disability, but still want to continue to vote by post, please contact the electoral services team at Westmorland and Furness Council about applying for a signature waiver.