Vote by post, vote by proxy, polling station listings, voting from overseas.
If you are unable to visit your polling station on polling day and you wish to appoint someone to vote on your behalf, you can apply to vote by proxy. A proxy vote can be applied for up until six days before an election, provided you do not already have any other absent voting arrangements in place. The application deadline for new proxy votes at the time of an election are shown on the Notice of election and will be included on this page.
From Tuesday 31 October 2023 electors (except for anonymous electors) will be able to apply for a proxy vote online via www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote. All absent vote applications (except for emergency proxy applications) made on or after Tuesday 31 October 2023 must contain a National Insurance Number (NINo) or a reason why one cannot be provided.
Your information (name, address, date of birth and NINo) will initially be verified against Department of Works and Pension (DWP) data. Where an application does not match with DWP data - you will be asked to provide documentary evidence to verify your identity. If this is not possible then you will require an attestation. The proxy arrangement will remain in place for five years and you will be invited to reapply after that period of time.
Different rules apply for Overseas Electors.
The person you nominate to vote on your behalf must be registered to vote themselves and must be eligible to vote in the election or referendum you are voting in, they will also need to take photographic ID with them and show that before they can be issued with a ballot paper. This is a new regulation within the Election Act 2023 and came into force at elections from May 2023.
For further information on Voter ID please go to our page about voting in a polling station.
Another change with proxy voting is the number of electors a proxy can be appointed for. A person will not be entitled to vote as proxy in any electoral area on behalf of more than four electors. Within the four electors, no more than two electors can be domestic electors e.g. neither service nor overseas electors. This is a national change and further information will be updated here once the new rules are in place.
In certain circumstances, where you have an emergency that means you cannot vote in person, you can apply for an emergency proxy.
This must be something that you weren't aware of before the normal proxy vote deadline.
The form you need to complete depends on your reason for needing an emergency proxy vote.
You will need to download the relevant emergency proxy vote application form and print it. Once you have completed the form and made sure you have signed it, you can scan and email it to electoral.registration@rbwm.gov.uk or send it to us at the address below.