Postal voting safety and fraud
Voting by post is safe and proven cases of electoral fraud are rare.
When voting by post, you should mark your vote on the ballot paper in secret, and seal the envelope yourself.
Verifying your identity when you vote by post
When you apply for a postal or proxy vote, you'll be asked to give your date of birth and signature. When you return your postal voting pack, these details are checked to confirm your identity, which makes postal voting safe.
It’s important that you read the postal voting instructions carefully before you vote by post, and provide the right information in the right place.
Half of all postal ballots rejected at the last UK general election had a signature or date of birth that did not match that given in the initial application. One common mistake people make when voting by post is to provide the date of completion, rather than their date of birth.
Your signature and date of birth are separated from your ballot paper before its looked at or counted, so giving this information will not affect the secrecy of your vote.
Protecting your vote against voter fraud
It's illegal for anyone to influence you to vote against your will.
Watch the Protect your postal vote video to see the many different forms voter fraud can take.
What to do if you’ve seen or been a victim of voter fraud
If someone tries to take your vote, or the vote of anyone you know, get in touch with the charity Crimestoppers:
- Phone: 0800 555 111
- Online: Give Crimestoppers information anonymously