Voting by proxy
A proxy vote is someone who votes on your behalf, if you are unable to get to the polling station on the day of the election.
Who can apply for a proxy vote?
Anyone aged 18 or over, and who is on the electoral register, can apply for a proxy vote.
How can I apply for a proxy vote?
If you would like to apply for a proxy vote send an email to [email protected] and we will send you an application form.
You will need to give your date of birth and signature on the application form, together with a reason for the application and the relationship of the proxy to you (if any).
Any new proxy vote application must be completed and returned to the office no later than 5pm, six working days before the election.
How does the proxy vote for me?
Once you have appointed your proxy, you must inform them who you wish to vote for. They then go to your normal polling station and request the ballot paper on your behalf and cast your vote.
Absent vote refresh
Absent voters (people who vote by post or proxy) are required to provide a signature and their date of birth when they first apply for an absent vote. These are known as 'personal identifiers'.
At election time, ballot papers are posted out to absent voters, together with a postal vote statement. To vote, each absent voter must complete and return the postal vote statement by providing their signature and date of birth, along with their completed ballot paper. The signature and date of birth are then checked against the signature and date of birth provided on the original application to ensure that they match. This is to prevent electoral fraud.
You must provide an updated signature every five years, as signatures can change over time.
Each January, we are legally required to write to all absent voters whose signatures are more than five years old, requesting that they complete an application form and provide a fresh signature.
If we do not receive a response after six weeks your postal/proxy vote will be cancelled. You will still be able to vote in person at a polling station, or you can request to vote by postal/proxy vote again.