A change in the law means that anyone wanting to apply for a postal or proxy vote can now do so online.

The legislation change, introduced by the Government, permits applicants from Wychavon who are already registered to vote to do so.

This change comes with a few stipulations.

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Applicants must now provide their full name, address, and National Insurance Number, much in line with in-person voting requirements.

Applicants are also asked to upload a scanned or photographed copy of their signature.

However, postal voters will not need to provide photo ID when applying online.

Proxy voters will also be exempted from providing their own photo ID during the application process.

However the person representing a proxy voter at the polling station will need to provide valid photo ID.

Those who registered for a postal vote before October 31, 2023, must reapply under this new system by January 31, 2026, at the latest.

Following this, reapplications will be necessary every three years.

In regard to these changes, Wychavon District Council's election team has announced that it will be directly contacting registered postal and proxy voters.

Clear instructions on what voters need to do will be provided, the council has said.

It should also be noted that as a consequence of these changes, people can now only act as a proxy for two people living in the UK.

These changes will apply to all UK and English elections, including next year’s West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner election, and the anticipated general election.

Registering to vote or apply for a postal or proxy vote application can be done at www.wychavon.gov.uk/elections, however people can still register using paper forms.

Contact the elections team on 01386 565437 or email elections@wychavon.gov.uk for a paper form or more information.