Voting by proxy

If you can’t get to your polling station on election day, you don't have to lose your chance to vote. Registered electors can apply to vote by proxy or by post. A 'proxy' is someone who is appointed by you to vote on your behalf at an election, so to vote by proxy you must first find someone who is willing to vote for you.

How to apply for a proxy vote

1. Telephone the Electoral Services Team.
2. We will verify your address and check your name is on the Electoral Register;
3. We'll then post a form & prepaid envelope to you, prefilled with your name and address, or email it to you if you've supplied an email address;
4. You just need to sign and return the form.

Further information

How voting by proxy works
You can appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf if:

• you want your proxy to vote for you at a particular election;
• your work or studies take you away from home;
• you are blind or suffer from some other form of disability;
• you are in poor health, or are in residential care or hospital;

A proxy must be at least 18 years old and not disqualified to vote in his or her own right. For a General Election, the proxy must be a British, Commonwealth or Irish citizen. For Local Government or European Parliamentary Elections, he or she may be a citizen of the European Union.

No one may act as a proxy for more than two people at the same election, unless those two people are closely related.

If you appoint a proxy and then have a change of plans, you may still vote in person - providing you do so before the proxy has voted on your behalf!