Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to allow individual local authorities to request that applicants for postal or proxy voting arrangements provide proof of (1) identification, and (2) residence; whether (a) they, or (b) the Electoral Commission, have approved the addition of any such requests to relevant application forms; and what assessment they have made of the impact of such requests on the number of applications to vote by post or proxy.

Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) are responsible for processing applications for a postal or proxy vote, and for applying the legislative requirements. Postal or proxy voters must, by law, supply their date of birth and signature at application and again when they return their postal ballot at an election or referendum. The law does not require applicants to verify their identity or address when applying for a postal or proxy vote. EROs do not have the power to reject or refuse an absent vote application if the applicant does not provide additional proof of identity or residence.