Ways to Vote

Voting at a Polling Station

The traditional way to vote in the United Kingdom is to attend your local polling station and vote in person. A poll card will be sent to all electors who are eligible for that election. If you have applied to vote by post then you will not be able to vote at the polling station and will not receive a poll card. Location of Polling Stations.

If you are not registered as an elector you will not be able to vote.

The poll card simply tells you when the election will be held and where to go to cast your vote, you do not need to take it with you to the polling station. There should be a map on the card that indicates where your polling station is.

If you lose the poll card or forget to take it with you to the polling station, then you can still vote. At the polling station, the poll clerk or presiding officer should ask you for your name and address, once this is confirmed they will issue you with a ballot paper. If you do not receive a poll card then please contact the elections office, as they should be able to explain why this may have happened.

Voting by Post

Applications can be made for a single election, for a specified period or permanently. They must be made by completing an application form (forms can be sent to you if requested but requests cannot be emailed nor can a postal vote be set up from a telephone conversation). You can apply for a postal vote up until 11 working days before an election. A proxy vote can be applied for up until 6 days before an election, provided you do not already have any absent voting arrangements in place. You do not need to wait for an election to be announced to apply for a postal or proxy vote.

You cannot sign an application on behalf of an elector even if you have Power of Attorney. You cannot assign your voting rights.

A postal vote can be sent to your home address or any other address specified by you.

Postal votes can be sent overseas, but you need to consider whether there will be time for you to receive and return your ballot paper by polling day. If you live overseas permanently you will need to register as an overseas elector.

Postal votes are usually dispatched between ten and five days before polling day. If you are going to be out of the country during the run up to an election and would like a postal vote, please check with the elections office to discuss the practicalities of having a postal vote as it may not be possible to receive and return the paperwork in time for your vote to be counted.

If you have been sent a postal vote, you cannot vote in person at a polling station.

Postal votes can be posted back to the council offices or returned by hand to the council offices or polling station before the close of poll. If you have not received the postal vote or it have mislaid it, please contact the elections office, bearing in mind that a new one cannot be issued on polling day.

Postal votes have to be received at the council or polling station by the close of poll on polling day.

Download an Application form to vote by post.

Voting by Proxy

This means appointing someone to vote for you on your behalf in your polling station. You can apply for a proxy vote at any time up until 6 days before an election provided you do not already have any absent voting arrangements in place. You do not need to wait for an election to be announced. You cannot sign an application on behalf of an elector even if you have Power of Attorney. You cannot assign your voting rights. You need to tell your proxy which candidate(s) you wish to vote for.

You have to provide a reason to vote by proxy for a single election. You can only vote by proxy on an indefinite basis for the following reasons: physical incapacity; being registered as an overseas voter; studying away from home; being on a journey by sea or air; and if you have a certain occupation, e.g. Armed Forces.

If you change your mind and wish to vote in person, you can still do so, providing that your proxy has not already voted on your behalf. If your proxy cannot get to your polling station, they can apply to vote by post. However, if they chose this option, you will not then be able to vote in person.

A form to vote by Proxy is available from the Electoral Commission web site.

What if I have a disability?

All forms are available in a larger print version on request.

During an election, there are a number of provisions in place for people with disabilities. These include a device called a 'selector', which enables blind or partially sighted people to vote unaided, ramps allowing easy access to polling stations and provisions for voters who are unable to vote without assistance to be assisted by a companion. Alternatively, any blind or partially sighted voter can request assistance from the Presiding Officer on duty.

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