Postal votes being sent out this week for local elections

Warwickshire County Council elections and two Stratford-on-Avon District Council by-elections will take place on Thursday 1 May 2025 and ballot papers have started to be sent out to postal voters across the District this week.

Over 20,000 postal vote packs for people already registered to vote by post are now being issued by Stratford-on-Avon District Council.

Any changes or new postal vote applications should expect to receive their postal vote pack after 17 April 2025.

If you haven't already done so, there is still time to apply for a new postal vote as the deadline is 5pm on Monday 14 April.
Apply now at https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote

Due to a change in legislation and new provisions from the Elections Act 2022, relating to the handling of postal votes, the District Council is urging residents to return their postal votes as soon as possible.

Stratford-on-Avon District Council's Senior Electoral Officer, Alice Revans-Perry said: "The first batch of postal votes are now being delivered to our residents with the second batch due out after 17 April 2025 and we're encouraging people to return it as soon as possible.

"Due to the change in legislation, our best advice is to post postal votes through Royal Mail as soon as possible.  If you choose to hand in postal votes at the Council offices or Polling Station, you will be limited to handing in no more than five postal votes for other electors, plus your own and you will also be required to complete a 'return of postal voting documents' form and declaration.  These rules apply to all postal votes not posted through Royal Mail."

How to complete and return your postal vote
When voting by post, you should:

• Complete your ballot paper in secret
• Complete the postal voting statement - with space for your date of birth and signature
• Put the ballot and statement in the envelopes provided
• Seal the envelope yourself
• Post as quickly as possible to make sure it's counted

An instruction leaflet is included in your postal voting pack.

Also, please do not use unstaffed letterboxes at the Council offices as these will have to be rejected in compliance with the new legislation.

If you are too late to post your ballot paper back, you can hand it to your local polling station by 10pm on polling day, Thursday 1 May. However, this will require you to fill out a return of postal vote form. 

Residents have until midnight on 11 April to make sure they are registered, in order to vote. It is quick and simple to register by visiting www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. People will need their date of birth and National Insurance number to be able to register.

The deadline for new proxy vote applications (not postal proxy or emergency proxies) is 5pm on Wednesday 23 April. Apply now at https://www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote

Photographic identification is now required to vote at a polling station, this includes passports, driving licences, bus passes and disabled badges. The full list of all acceptable documents is available at https://www.gov.uk/how-to-vote/photo-id-youll-need

Anyone who does not have one of the required forms of photo ID will be able to get a FREE Voter Authority Certificate from the Council, or to apply online, visit www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate. The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate for the May elections is at 5pm on Wednesday 23 April 2025.

The list of candidates for the election is available to view at Current Elections | Stratford-on-Avon District Council

• Political Campaigners will no longer be able to handle postal votes, except where the postal vote is their own or a close family member or someone they provide care for.
• Postal workers or those that handle postal votes as part of their duties are exempt.
• Anyone with a postal vote cannot vote in person at a polling station.