Vote by post

If you’re not able to get to your allocated polling station on the day of an election (‘polling day’), you can vote by post. 

You need to apply for a postal vote in advance of polling day.

You must be registered to vote to apply for a postal vote.

You can apply for a postal vote for reasons including:

• you’re away on holiday on polling day
• you’re not able to vote in person because of work
• it would be more convenient for you than going to your polling station
• you have been chosen as a proxy voter for someone else and you want to vote by post.

You must apply by 5pm at least 11 working days before an election polling day. 

To apply for a postal vote, you’ll need to provide:

• your full name
• the address at which you are registered to vote
• your National Insurance number or another form of identification, such as a passport (for UK Parliamentary elections only)
• the date of the election or the specific time period you want to make a postal vote.
• the address you wish your ballot pack to be issued to, if this is different from your registered address
• the reason for requesting the ballot paper to go to an alternative address.

For UK Parliamentary elections, you’ll also need to upload a photo of your handwritten signature in black ink on plain white paper.

To apply for a postal vote, download and fill in the paper form (Electoral Commission)

Post the form to your Electoral Registration Office at:

Electoral Registration Officer
Renfrewshire Valuation Joint Board
Renfrewshire House
Cotton Street
Paisley
PA1 1BF

UK Parliamentary elections

Online

Apply for a postal vote online (GOV.UK)   

Paper form

If you cannot apply online, you can download and fill in the paper form (Electoral Commission).

Post the form to your Electoral Registration Office at:

Electoral Registration Officer
Renfrewshire Valuation Joint Board
Renfrewshire House
Cotton Street
Paisley
PA1 1BF

Your local Electoral Registration Office will confirm by post or email when your postal vote is in place.

We'll send you a postal vote ballot pack before the election polling day with information on how and when to post your vote.

How to cancel your postal vote

If you want to cancel your postal vote, contact your local electoral registration office by:

• phone 0300 300 0150
• email ero@renfrewshire-vjb.gov.uk

You must do this by 5pm at least 11 working days before the election polling day.   

If you’ve already sent your postal vote, you will not be able to cancel it for that election.

Change your postal vote to a proxy vote

If you have a postal vote and want to change it to a proxy vote, you must cancel your postal vote by 5pm at least 11 working days before polling day.

You can then submit a proxy vote application by 5pm at least 6 working days before polling day.

More information

For any questions, contact the Electoral Registration Office by:

• phone 0300 300 0150
• email ero@renfrewshire-vjb.gov.uk