Can I still cast a postal vote in the 2026 election?
Can you take a postal vote to the polling station? When is the last day to post a postal vote? How do postal votes work?
Millions are set to cast their vote in the 2026 local elections, which could have deep implications for the British political scene as a whole.
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But while polling stations are set to open in thousands of locations around England, Wales and Scotland, as councillors and mayors are voted in, time has run out for anyone wanting to post their vote.
Thousands of Brits vote by post ahead of every election if they have informed the Electoral Commission that this is how they wish to participate.
For a vote to be counted, it must reach the local authority by the day of the election, which is Thursday, May 7, in 2026.
However, for those who have left it too late, there are still ways to get involved via a postal vote.
Here is everything you need to know.
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Can I still vote by post in the 2026 local elections?
You cannot now apply for a postal vote this time around, and with the election being on May 7, it will be unlikely for your vote to arrive in time if you send it in the mail now.
If you want to register to vote by post for a future election, you can do so by applying online.
Can I still vote if I have missed the chance to vote by post?
If you are registered for a postal vote but have not posted your letter ballot in time, you can still participate if you take all of the paperwork you received to your polling station. All polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm.
You can also take the form to your electoral registration office before it closes on the day, but your vote will not count if you attempt to post it through the office's letterbox.
"You cannot vote at a polling station if you registered to vote by post, but your ballot paper was then lost or damaged," the Electoral Commission has said.
When was the last day for voting by post?
Your postal vote needs to be with the elections team at your local council by 10pm on polling day to be counted.
There is no set date as to when it needs to be sent, but first-class post usually takes one to two days to be delivered.