Policy Background Online service for applying for an Absent vote
As it stands, it is not possible for electors to apply for an absent vote (postal and proxy) online. Electors who wish to apply for an absent vote must do so via a paper form, which they must submit to their local Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) by post (although some EROs also accept scanned and emailed paper forms – except in Northern Ireland). This is in contrast to the process by which an individual can apply to register to vote online, using the Register to Vote digital service, which has made registering to vote easier and more convenient.
	The Act amends existing legislation to provide the appropriate enabling powers to allow detailed provisions to be set out in secondary legislation for an online service through which applications for an absent vote can be made. It will also enable the identity of absent vote applicants in Great Britain to be verified. The identity verification process will apply to paper applications as well as to applications made online.
	In Northern Ireland there is an existing identity verification process in place for paper absent vote applications. The Act makes provision to allow digital identity verification to be carried out on paper and online applications in any future online service and would allow changes to be made to the existing process to facilitate online applications.
	It is intended that the measures, including the introduction of identity verification in Great Britain, will make the absent vote application process more secure, resilient and efficient for both electors and electoral administrators. Digitising the absent vote application process will also benefit overseas electors who typically vote by post or proxy; and will complement the Act measures that will remove the current 15 year limit for the registration of overseas electors.