What is proxy voting?
If you cannot vote at an election in person, you can apply to
vote by proxy (someone else voting on your behalf).
Can I apply for a proxy vote?
You must be registered to vote first and can only apply in the
following circumstances
Who can support my application?
If you are applying for one particular election only, or are
registered blind, or receive the higher rate of the mobility
component of a disability living allowance, or are an Armed Service
elector, Crown Servant / British Council employee (or spouse /
civil partner of one) then you do not need anyone
to sign your application.
However, if you have another disability one of the following
needs to sign your application form
- A registered medical practitioner, including a dentist,
optician, pharmacist, osteopath, chiropractor and psychologist
(your GP must not charge you for this)
- A registered nurse
- A Christian Science practitioner
- A registered health professional
- A registered social worker
- A registered mental health manager or their representative
- If you are living in a residential care home, the person
registered as running that home
- If you live in a premises provided for people of pensionable
age or disabled persons, the warden of those premises
If you or your husband, wife or civil partner will be attending
an educational course that means you cannot vote in person on
election day, then the following people can sign your
application:
- The director or tutor of your course
- The principal or head of the educational establishment where
your course is taking place
- An employee of the educational establishment where your course
is taking place who is authorised to support your
application
If your employment or your husband, wife or civil partner’s
employment means that you cannot vote in person, the following can
sign your form
- If you have an employer, your employer or another authorised
person at your workplace
- If you are self-employed, a person who is aged 18 years or
over, who knows you and is not related to you
Who can you appoint as your proxy?
You must ask someone you know to be your proxy and vote on your
behalf. Please note that a person can only be the proxy for close
relatives and up to two other people at the same election. They
must also be aged 18 or over and be qualified to vote at that
election (for example, you cannot appoint a European Union citizen
– other than those from the UK, Ireland, Malta or Cyprus - to be
your proxy at an Aldermanic election because they cannot vote in
this type of election themselves.)
Your proxy can apply to vote by post if they wish but they must
be appointed by the elector as their proxy first.
How do I apply to vote by proxy?
You can download one of the application forms above or visit
the About my vote website.
Make sure you complete all sections and supply your date of
birth and signature in the boxes provided. It is an offence to
supply false information on this form. Once completed, please
return it to the address on the bottom of the form.
When can I apply for a proxy and ‘emergency’ proxies
You can apply to vote by proxy at any time but if you are
applying for one particular election only you must wait until that
election has been officially announced. The deadline is
5.00pm, six working days before the date of the election.
However, if you have a medical emergency that took place between
election day and six days before, you can apply to vote by
emergency proxy if the emergency means you cannot go to the polling
station in person, but you must get a qualified person to support
your application. You can download a form for this here.
Download the Emergency Proxy Form
here (100kb)
If you require any further assistance with absent voting, please
email
electoralservices@cityoflondon.gov.uk .