Voting and Elections

Register to vote on the Government's website. This is the fastest way of registering.

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.

Voting in Person

Voter ID

From Thursday 4 May 2023 voters will be required by law (Elections Act 2022) to show an approved form of photographic identification to polling station staff before being issued with a ballot paper.

If you don’t already have any of the accepted forms of photographic identification (listed below), you will be able to apply either in person, by post or 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 be 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.

Acceptable forms of photographic identification will include:

• a passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state, or a Commonwealth country
• a driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state
• a biometric immigration document
• an identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
• a Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
• a Blue Badge
• a national identity card issued by an EEA state
• an Older Person’s Bus Pass
• a Disabled Person’s Bus Pass
• an Oyster 60+ Card
• a Freedom Pass
• a Scottish National Entitlement Card issued in Scotland
• a 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card issued in Wales
• a Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card issued in Wales
• a Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• a Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• an Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland

Unacceptable forms of ID

• ID which does not include a photo, eg. paper driving licences
• Workplace ID cards (including those issued by the NHS and local councils)
• Student cards issued by schools, colleges, or universities (except cards bearing a PASS accreditation hologram)
• Photos or copies of ID shown on a mobile phone  

If your photographic identification document has expired it will still be accepted so long as the photograph is still a good likeness of you, unless it is a temporary Voter Authority Certificate which is not valid for use on the date of poll.

You may be required to provide further proof of identity if there is any discrepancy between your name as shown on your form of photographic identification and the name of the elector or proxy that you claim to be.

The requirement to show photo ID does not apply to postal voters.

The requirement to show photo ID will also be in force for the UK Parliamentary General Elections.

Voting 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.

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.

Referendums/Petitions 2024

The Local Government Act 2011 requires the Council to publish a verification number notice which sets out the minimum number of signatures which would be needed to support a valid petition requiring the council to hold a referendum on whether the district should change to a different form of governance.

pdf Petition number 2024 (10 KB)

The minimum number, equal to 5 per cent of the local government electors for Malvern Hills District Council shown in the revised register published at 15 February 2024, is 3146.

This is the minimum number of signatures needed to support any petitions to the council submitted after 31 March 2024 and before 1 April 2025.

Register of Electors

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.

Boundary reviews

The Boundary Commission for England is currently reviewing parliamentary constituency boundaries in England.

No changes are currently proposed to the West Worcestershire Parliamentary Constituency.

Read more about the review of parliamentary constituencies in England

The Local Government Boundary Commission (LGBCE) recently completed their review of the district wards in Malvern Hills. The review looked at the number of councillors, the number of electors represented by each councillor and the size and boundaries of each ward. The LGBCE have reduced the number of councillors on the district council from 38 to 31, the number of wards has been reduced from 22 to 18. The warding pattern of Malvern Town Council has also changed. Further information about the review can be found at Malvern Hills | Local Government Boundary Commission of England Site (LGBCE).

As a result of the LGBCE’s review, the (Acting) Returning Officer reviewed the suitability of Polling Districts, Polling Places and Polling Stations. Following the public consultation and review, changes have been made to polling districts, places, and stations to reflect the new ward boundaries and to ensure polling stations are accessible and convenient. Voters will be informed of any changes before the May 2023 elections. For further information please contact the Elections Team.