Around 28,000 postal voters in Solihull will be contacted about the need to reapply if they want to continue to vote by post in future elections.
As a result of national changes, postal voters are now required to renew their application to vote by post every three years.
This means that postal voters who applied for a permanent postal vote before 31 October 2023 and want to continue voting by post will need to reapply before the deadline on 31 January 2026.
From today (Wednesday 18 June), Solihull Council will contact affected postal voters by email.
To help check if the email is genuine, emails will be sent from electoral.services.solihull.council@notifications.service.gov.uk, and will be titled ‘Postal vote expiry– message from Solihull Council’.
Postal voters for whom we do not hold an email address will be contacted by post.
Residents can reapply for their postal vote at any time before 31 January 2026 and the quickest and easiest way to do so is online at www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote.
Those who are not able to complete an application online can download a paper application. Completed forms can be emailed to election@solihull.gov.uk or sent in the post to Electoral Services, Solihull Council, Manor Square, Solihull B91 3QB.
Applications require residents to upload a photo of their handwritten signature in black ink on plain white paper, alongside the applicant’s name, address, date of birth, and national insurance number.
Residents are invited to make their new application early to ensure their postal vote is in place in plenty of time for the next scheduled local elections in Solihull in May 2026. Those who do not reapply by the January deadline will have their postal vote cancelled.
For more information, visit www.solihull.gov.uk/postalvotereapplication.