Information for Voters

Information for Voters Voting by Post

The first despatch of postal votes for the UK Parliamentary elections for all two Highland constituencies will be received around Friday 21 June 2024 (for any elector who has an existing postal vote or has applied for and been granted a postal vote by Friday 7 June). For anyone applying for a postal vote after this date, they will receive their postal vote in the second despatch of postal votes and should be delivered by Monday 1 July 2024. 

Once you've received your postal pack, read the enclosed instructions, mark your vote on the ballot paper, complete the postal voting statement and put these in the envelopes provided.

You need to make sure you send your completed pack back as soon as possible and by no later than 10pm on Thursday 4th July 2024.

If you wish to hand in your postal vote pack or if you have not received your postal vote pack, please continue to read the information below.

Watch our short video on how to complete your postal vote pack 

 

If it arrives later than this, your vote won't be counted.

Handing in postal votes to the Returning Officer

Electors sometimes hand postal votes in directly to the Returning Officer in advance of the election, and on polling day itself. The same restrictions, limits, and requirement to complete a form which apply at polling stations, also applies to postal votes handed to the Returning Officer or at council offices.

If you have still to receive or return your postal vote for the Highland constituencies of Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, or Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire please note the following advice.

On Monday 1 July, Tuesday 2 July and Wednesday 3 July 2024, you can drop off your postal pack in person or request a replacement pack between 10am and 4pm at the following locations:

• Dingwall Council Offices, 84 High Street, Dingwall, IV15 9QN
• Fort William Service Point, Charles Kennedy Buildingx, Achintore Road, Fort William, PH33 6RQ
• Highland Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, IV3 5NX
• Portree Service Point, Community, Tigh-na-Sgire, Park Lane, Portree, IV51 9GP
• Wick Service Point, Caithness House, Market Square, Wick, KW1 4AB

Postal votes handed in at any other council office will not be accepted as there will be no authorised staff present to provide and sign the postal vote return form.

Any postal votes which are left at any council building without the postal vote return form being completed will be rejected.

The Returning Officer also cannot accept any postal votes which are left in any council mailbox, or which are put into the Council’s internal mail system without the relevant form being completed.

Handing in your postal vote(s) at our Council offices listed above?

1. On arrival at you should ask reception staff to contact a member of the Election team who will be authorised to accept your postal vote.
2. A member of the Election team will come to reception with the Postal Vote Return form which must be completed when handing in your postal vote.
3. You will be asked to complete and sign this form before handing over your postal vote(s) to the member of the Election team.
4. The member of the Election team will endorse the form and accept your postal vote(s) or if required, reject the postal vote(s).

Please be aware - you cannot just hand them into reception, leave them on the reception desk, or post them in the mailbox. If you do not complete the Postal Vote Return form, your postal vote will be rejected.

Postal votes which are ‘left behind’

Postal votes will not be accepted if they are simply left at a polling station or a council office.

If a person hands in postal votes without completing the return of postal vote documents form, the ‘left behind’ postal votes must be rejected.

After the election, the ERO will write to electors who have had their postal vote rejected because they were left behind.

Handing in your postal vote to a polling station

1. On arrival at the polling station, go to the desk where polling staff are located. They will be authorised to accept your postal vote(s).
2. The polling station staff will give you a Postal Vote Return form.
3. They will ask you to complete and sign this form before handing over your postal vote(s).
4. The polling station staff will endorse the form and accept your postal vote.

Please be aware - you cannot just leave them at the polling station or on the desk if the staff are busy. If you do not complete the Postal Vote Return form, your postal vote will be rejected

Unable to visit one of the offices listed above? 

Phone a friend, a family member or ask your neighbour to return your postal vote pack on your behalf.

You will need to visit in person with photo ID to be issued with a replacement voting pack.  You can then complete your vote and hand it in there and then.

Lost or Spoilt postal packs

If you lose or spoilt part of your postal pack after you receive it, you should call the election helpline on 01349 886657 for guidance on how to obtain a replacement. Do not destroy your original pack if it was spoilt as you will need to return all of this to us.

The helpline is open 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.  Outwith these hours, there is a reocrded message.