Absent voting (Postal and Proxy Votes)
Absent voting lets you vote in an election even if you cannot get to the polling station. For example, you might be at work or on holiday on polling day. Or you might have a medical condition or disability which means you will find it hard to get to the polling station.
There are 2 types of absent voting - postal voting and proxy voting.
If you vote by post, your ballot paper will be sent to your specified address for you to fill in and send back by post. You can find out more about postal voting, further information is also available on GOV.UK.
If you vote by proxy, you appoint someone you trust to vote for you. You can find out more about proxy voting, further information is also available on GOV.UK.
The changes you will see
If you are applying for an absent vote, you will need to provide proof of your identity by providing your -
- date of birth
- signature
- National Insurance number
Applying for a postal vote can be completed online. We also still accept paper applications for those who do not have access to complete an online application. Postal votes must always include a handwritten signature, not a digital or typed signature.
The existing secrecy requirements will be extended to postal and proxy votes. You can find out more about the secrecy requirements on the Electoral Commission website.
Postal Voting
If you vote by post, you were previously required to provide a fresh signature every 5 years. This has changed and you now have to apply again every 3 years. This is to ensure we have an up-to-date signature as this is used to verify your vote at election time. We will contact you when this is required.
Political parties and campaigners are now banned from handling postal votes.
If you are handing in postal votes at a polling station, you are only allowed to hand in a maximum of 6. That is 5 postal votes for other people including family, friends, and neighbours, and your own postal vote.
Proxy Voting
You are only able to act as a proxy for up to 4 people. Of these, the maximum number who can be 'domestic electors', which are voters living in the UK, is 2.
When the changes came into force
The online application service for postal and proxy vote applications became available in October 2023.
The rules on secrecy and who can handle postal votes will come into force for elections on or after 2 May 2024.
The change to the 3-yearly application process will be transitional. In other words, it will not affect everyone all at once. The transition started from January 2024.
Changes to the handing in of postal votes and the new proxy limit will come into force for elections in May 2024.