How do I vote by post or by proxy?
Two different arrangements with different deadlines and different failure modes. Both need applying for well before polling day, and both have rules that have tightened recently.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 12 min
- Read
- 3 min
Short answer
Apply for a postal vote online or on paper; in Great Britain no reason is needed. Apply for a proxy vote if someone else will vote on your behalf, naming that person. Postal applications close around eleven working days before polling day and proxy applications a few days later. Postal votes must reach the returning officer by close of poll, not merely be posted by then.
The most common way a postal vote fails is arriving late. The second most common is a signature that no longer matches the one held — a signature drifts over years, and the personal identifiers are checked mechanically before the ballot is counted. Both are avoidable if you know about them.
Step by step
- Decide which arrangement fits.Postal voting means the ballot comes to you and you return it. Proxy voting means a named person you trust attends the polling station and votes as you instruct. Postal is more common; proxy suits sudden unavailability and people who will be abroad without a reliable address.
- Apply online through GOV.UK, or on paper.You must already be registered to vote. The application requires your National Insurance number, and now a photograph of your signature or a wet signature on paper.
- Note the deadlines.Postal vote applications close around eleven working days before polling day, proxy applications around six. An emergency proxy is available up to 5pm on polling day for a medical emergency or an unforeseen work reason.
- Complete the personal identifiers exactly.The postal ballot pack contains a statement requiring your signature and date of birth. These are matched against the record held. A signature that has changed, or a partner filling it in, causes the vote to be rejected without you knowing.
- Return it in time, by the right route.It must reach the returning officer by close of poll on polling day, not be postmarked by then. If it is late in the day you can hand it in at your polling station or the council office, subject to the current rules on handing in postal votes and the accompanying form.
- Understand the limits on proxies.A person can act as proxy for a limited number of electors, with a higher limit for close family. They must be registered and eligible to vote in that election themselves, and they must bring their own accepted photographic ID.
- Note that postal votes now need renewing.Postal vote arrangements in Great Britain have a fixed maximum duration and must be reapplied for periodically. Indefinite postal votes no longer exist, and people who have had one for years have been caught by the change.
- Deal with being abroad separately.Overseas electors register separately and have their own arrangements. Postal voting from abroad is often impractical on timing, so a proxy is usually the more reliable option.
Common mistakes
- Posting the ballot on polling day — It must arrive by close of poll, not be posted by then. Anything sent in the last few days should be hand-delivered instead.
- Letting someone else sign the statement — The signature is matched against the record. A mismatch causes rejection, and you are not told at the time.
Questions people ask
Do I need a reason for a postal vote?
Not in Great Britain — anyone registered can apply. Northern Ireland requires a reason and has its own process.
What if my postal vote arrives too late to return?
You can hand it in at your polling station or the council office by close of poll, subject to the current rules on handing in postal votes, which include completing a form.
Can I still vote in person if I have a postal vote?
Not in the ordinary way. You can hand your completed postal ballot in at the polling station, but you cannot be given a fresh ballot paper unless you return the unused postal pack.