Postal and Proxy votes
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 banned from handling postal votes.
If you're 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. For example -
- family
- friends
- neighbours
- your own
Apply for a postal vote (opens in new window)
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' (voters living in the UK) is 2.
Apply for a proxy vote (opens in new window)
When the changes come into force
The online service for Postal and Proxy votes became available in October 2023.
The rules on secrecy and who can handle postal votes will come into force for all 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.