Postal and proxy voting

infobox | Application forms in downloads section

All application forms can be found in the downloads section of this page.

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Postal Voting

Postal voting is a facility for people who cannot attend a polling station on election day or who feel that to vote by post would be more convenient. You can apply to vote by post for a particular election, for a set period of time or for all future elections.

Everyone who applies for a postal vote must provide their date of birth and signature on their application form. This information is required to combat fraud.

If you are unable to sign the application form owing to a disability you are entitled to apply for a waiver.

Your ballot papers will be sent to either the address at which you appear on the register or to any other address which you state on your application. Ballot papers can also be sent overseas, but you need to consider whether there will be sufficient time to allow for the receipt and return of your ballot papers by election day. You may wish to appoint a proxy instead.

The deadline for receipt of completed postal vote application forms is no later than 11 working days before the election.

Proxy Voting

If you are unable to vote in person, you can choose to vote by proxy (someone else voting on your behalf). You can apply to vote by proxy for a particular election, for a set period of time or for all future elections.

Everyone who applies to vote by proxy must provide their date of birth and signature on their application form. This information is required to combat fraud.

If you are unable to sign the application form owing to a disability you are entitled to apply for a waiver.

Anyone can be appointed as your proxy as long as they are eligible to vote in UK elections and they are willing to vote on your behalf. They must not already be acting as a proxy for more than 2 other electors.

You can apply for a proxy vote if your name appears on the electoral register. When you apply for a proxy vote you have to provide a reason. You can apply for a proxy vote if:

you are unable to go to the polling station for one particular election, for example, if you are away on holiday
you have a physical condition that means you cannot go to the polling station on election day
your employment means that you cannot go to the polling station on election day
your attendance on an educational course means that you cannot go to the polling station on election day
you are a British citizen living overseas
you are a crown servant or a member of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces

Depending upon the reason for your application you may find that you are required to get someone to support your application to confirm that your reason for applying to vote by proxy is valid.

If your proxy is going to be away from home on the day of the election or find it inconvenient to travel to the polling station, they can apply for your proxy ballot paper to be posted to them.