Voting and elections

Register to vote

In this section

Before you do this you will need to know your national insurance number. If you do not have a national insurance number, or have lost it, please contact 01684 862200.

Usually within three to six weeks of the Electoral Registration Officer receiving your application your name will be added to the Register of Electors as long as your details can be correctly verified.

We will write and confirm that your name has been added to the Register.

Please see the relevant Notice of Elections for details of the deadline for applications to be made.

British Citizens living overseas

You can register as an overseas voter if you are a British citizen living overseas (which includes eligible Irish citizens and citizens of the Crown Dependencies). You must register in the constituency in which you were resident or registered to vote before leaving the UK.

To register as an overseas voter go to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Overseas voters are eligible to vote in UK Parliamentary General Elections but not local elections.

We strongly recommend overseas electors apply to vote by proxy www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote. Voting by proxy is where you appoint someone to vote on your behalf, the person you appoint will mark the ballot paper on your behalf. They will need to visit a polling station in Malvern Hills in person or apply for a postal proxy.

Overseas electors can also apply for a postal vote or vote in person. We do not recommend postal votes are sent overseas due to postal delays. We cannot despatch postal votes earlier than the close of nominations. The UK does not open any polling stations overseas.
Annual Canvass

The annual canvass is a legal requirement designed to maintain the accuracy of the electoral register.

Each year we contact every household to check whether we have the correct people registered to vote and to ask you to tell us of any changes. This year, we will be sending a letter to every household. Every household must respond to this letter to tell us about any changes or to confirm the information is correct. We may also contact households by phone, email or in person.

How to respond

Full details will be provided on the letter sent to you so please follow this carefully.

The easiest way to respond is via the web:

Complete your response to the annual canvass

You must have your two security codes to register your response.

If there are NO changes to the information on your canvass form you can respond via:

Freephone: 0800 8840701
SMS: by texting your TWO security codes separated by a space to 80212

Read the frequently asked questions for the Annual Canvass

If you are unsure whether an email or phone call is genuine contact us on 01684 862200 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before replying or clicking on any links.

Voting in person

In this section

Voters must show photo identification (ID) before they vote at a polling station. This could be a photo driving licence, passport, older persons bus pass or PASS card. A full list of the ID documents we can accept is available on the Electoral Commission website.

If you don’t already have any of the accepted forms of ID, you can apply online for a Voter Authority Certificate – this is a free photographic identification document. Applications for Voter Authority Certificates can be made online at GOVUK - Voter Authority Certificates. Applications can also be made by post or in person at The Council House, Avenue Road, Malvern WR14 3AF. Please contact Electoral Services 01684 862200 for further information.

If you are voting as a proxy on behalf of another elector you will need to present your own ID, not the ID of the person you are voting on behalf of.

If you have recently changed your name or your name on the Register of Electors does not match the name on your ID, you may be asked to provide further documentation.

Apply for a postal and proxy vote page

In this section

Vosting by post

Voting by post allows you to vote at home without needing to visit a polling station. Before each election we will send your ballot paper to you in the post with a form to complete with your date of birth and signature.

Apply for a postal vote online at www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote

You will need to supply a photo of your signature written in ink. Do not supply an electronically signed version of your signature, your postal vote may be rejected at the next election if an electronic signature is supplied. You will need your National Insurance number to hand to complete the process.

You can also apply to vote by post on a paper application form. If possible, please send your paper application form via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Emailed forms will be received and processed faster, and we will be able to acknowledge receipt via email reply. Alternatively, you can send your form via post to Electoral Services, The Council House, Avenue Road, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 3AF.

The deadline to apply to vote by post is 5pm, 11 working days before the poll.

The Government has changed the postal vote application process and the identity of each voter is now checked when registering to vote and again when applying for a postal vote. Due to these changes, you may be asked to supply evidence of your identity, such as a driving licence or passport, when you apply for a postal vote. Existing postal voters will not be subject to an identity check until January 2026.

Renewing your postal voting arrangements

Postal voters are now required to renew their postal vote application every three years. We are contacting all affected postal voters by post, email, and phone to ask them to re-apply for their postal vote.

The quickest and easiest way to renew is online at GOV.UK - Apply Postal Vote

Paper application forms will automatically be sent to all electors who do not renew their postal vote online, but a form can also be requested by calling 01684 862200.

If you applied for a postal vote before 31 January 2024, but do not renew your postal vote before 31 January 2026, your postal vote will be cancelled. You will only be able to vote at a polling station unless you apply again for a postal vote. The deadline to apply for a postal vote before an election is 5pm, 11 working days before poll.

Proxy voting

If you cannot make it to a polling station on polling day then you can send someone else to vote on your behalf. This is called voting by proxy.

You can register for a one-off proxy vote online at www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote. You can also apply using a paper application form - pdf Proxy Particular 2023 form (107 KB) .

To apply for permanent proxy vote (on grounds of employment, education or disability), please complete a permanent Proxy Vote Application form.

The deadline to apply to vote by proxy is 5pm, 6 working days before poll. However, in some circumstances emergency proxy voting is also available. Further information about voting by emergency proxy, including application forms. Download application forms from the Electoral Commission website. Please contact us for further information and guidance about voting by Emergency Proxy.

If possible, please send your form via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Emailed forms will be received and processed faster, and we will be able to acknowledge receipt via email reply. Alternatively, you can send your form via post to Electoral Services, The Council House, Avenue Road, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 3AF.

Register of Electors

In this section

The Register of Electors contains the names and addresses of everyone living in the district who are eligible to vote (British, Commonwealth and citizens of other European Union Members States). In order to vote your name must be on the Register of Electors for the area in which you live.

The information contained within the Register can only be used for certain purposes such as elections, law enforcement and credit referencing.

If you have any queries please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephone 01684 862200.

Electoral Arrangements and Reviews

In this section

A Community Governance Review is taking place in Guarlford and Madresfield. This review will consider whether to amalgamate Guarlford Parish Council and Madresfield Parish Council to create a new single parish council for the area. For further information about the review, including details on how to respond, go to Consultations

pdf Terms of Reference Madresfield and Guarlford CGR (686 KB)

pdf CGR Timetable (104 KB)

pdf Madresfield and Guarlford CGR Notice of Review (197 KB)