How to vote
Polling day is Thursday 13 August 2026, with 51 polling stations open from 7am to 10pm across the constituency. You can vote if you live in the Clacton constituency, are registered to vote, are 18 or over on polling day, and are a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen.
Key dates
- Writ moved in the Commons
- Thursday, 9 July 2026 — the formal start of the by-election timetable
- Nominations closed
- Friday, 17 July 2026 — the official candidate list (a record 34 names) was published the same day
- Deadline to register to vote
- Tuesday, 28 July 2026 — midnight
- Deadline for new postal vote applications
- Wednesday, 29 July 2026 — 5pm
- Deadline for proxy vote applications
- Wednesday, 5 August 2026 — 5pm
- Deadline for a free Voter Authority Certificate
- Wednesday, 5 August 2026 — 5pm, and only needed if you have no accepted photo ID
- Polling day
- Thursday, 13 August 2026 — polls open 7am–10pm; take photo ID
- Result declared
- Friday, 14 August 2026 — the count starts after polls close; the declaration is expected in the early hours
The timetable is set by the writ moved in the Commons on 9 July 2026 and is administered by Tendring District Council, the returning authority for the constituency.
1. Register to vote — by midnight on 28 July
Registering takes about five minutes at gov.uk/register-to-vote. You need your National Insurance number. If you are already registered (for example, you voted in the May 2026 Essex county elections) you do not need to register again. The deadline to be on the register for this by-election is midnight on Tuesday 28 July 2026.
2. Bring photo ID
You must show photo ID to vote in person. Accepted forms include a passport, driving licence (including provisional), blue badge, older person's bus pass, PASS card and others on the Electoral Commission's full list. Expired ID is accepted if the photo still looks like you. If you have none of the accepted documents, apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate by 5pm on Wednesday 5 August 2026. Photo ID is not needed for postal voting.
3. Choose how to vote
- In person — polling stations are open 7am to 10pm on Thursday 13 August. Your polling station is printed on the poll card posted to you; you do not need the poll card itself to vote, but you do need photo ID. If you are in the queue at 10pm you will still be able to vote.
- By post — apply at gov.uk/apply-postal-vote. New applications must be received by 5pm on Wednesday 29 July 2026. Completed postal votes must reach the returning officer by 10pm on polling day; you can also hand them in at a polling station in the constituency or at the council offices, with a completed form, and there are limits on how many other people's postal votes you may hand in.
- By proxy — someone you trust votes on your behalf. Apply at gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote by5pm on Wednesday 5 August 2026. Your proxy must bring their own photo ID. If an emergency after that deadline — such as a medical incident — stops you voting in person, you can apply for an emergency proxy up to 5pm on polling day.
4. Marking a long ballot paper
With a record 34 candidates standing, the ballot paper is unusually long, and candidates are listed alphabetically by surname. Mark one cross, in the box next to the single candidate you are voting for. Marking more than one box makes the paper void, and any writing that identifies you can also spoil it. If you make a mistake before putting the paper in the box, ask staff for a replacement.
Questions about your registration?
Electoral services for the constituency are run by Tendring District Council — they can confirm whether you are registered, where your polling station is, and the status of a postal or proxy application. The acting returning officer for the by-election is Ian Davidson, Acting Returning Officer.