Rishi Sunak has officially declared that a General Election will be held on July 4, putting an end to months of speculation about the timing of the poll.
For those who are not able to make it to a polling station on election day, postal voting is a viable option. Postal ballots are normally dispatched to all registered voters within two weeks leading up to polling day. It’s crucial to note that they cannot be sent out any earlier, so postal voters should bear this in mind when planning any trips or vacations.
Each postal vote contains a ballot paper(s) and a Postal Voter’s Statement that requires your date of birth and signature. These details are cross-checked with your application form, so if they are missing or do not match, your vote will not be counted.
To ensure that your vote is counted, your completed postal ballot must be returned to your local elections team in an envelope with a first-class stamp before 10 pm on polling day. Any postal votes received after this deadline will not be accepted.
Anyone who is a registered voter in the UK is eligible to apply for a postal vote. Applying for a postal vote allows flexibility for voters who may find it challenging to vote in person on election day, due to reasons such as being on holiday, a work trip, or having a disability.
The process of applying for a postal vote is straightforward and can be done by contacting your local Electoral Registration Office, downloading the postal vote application form from the Electoral Commission’s website, or applying online using the Government’s website.
Rishi Sunak made the announcement of the General Election on July 4 from Downing Street, stating, “The last five years have been the most challenging times since the Second World War. Now is the moment to choose to decide whether we want to build on the progress we have made, or risk going back to square one with no plan and no certainty.” He also mentioned that this election comes at a time when the world is more dangerous than it has been since the end of the Cold War.
Currently, OddsChecker predicts that Labour is favored to get the most seats, while the Conservatives are trailing. Rishi Sunak is the Conservative Party leader and incumbent Prime Minister, while Keir Starmer leads the Labour Party and Ed Davey leads the Liberal Democrats.
