Absent Voting

Voting by proxy means that you can appoint someone else to vote on your behalf.  Your proxy can either vote by post or vote at a polling station, but the polling station they will vote at can only be the polling station you would have had to vote for yourself.

Your chosen proxy must also be eligible to vote in the election they are voting on your behalf in, there is a limit to how many people a voter can be a proxy for. Under the new rules, voters would be limited to act as a proxy for two people. Anyone voting on behalf of UK voters who live overseas can act as a proxy for 4 people including the two domestic electors.

The deadline for applications to vote by proxy is by 5pm, six working days before polling day.  Please see upcoming elections for details of the next election.

The main way to apply for a proxy is through the new government website.  

Types of proxies that you can apply through the website:

• Proxy application for a particular election of referendum
• Proxy application for definite and indefinite period for overseas and service electors

Electors will not be able to apply for the following absent votes online but can continue to be applied for through a paper application: Forms are available https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/proxy-voting-application-forms

• Proxy postal application
• Postal waiver application
• Proxy application for definite or indefinite period due to disability
• Proxy application for definite or indefinite period due to employment, service etc.
• Emergency proxy application

The completed form can be returned by email to electoral.services@kingston.gov.uk or by post to: 

Electoral Services
Guildhall
High Street
Kingston upon Thames
KT1 1EU

Some of the above reasons to appoint a proxy may need to be supported in your application, so it is important that you read all of the application form to ensure that it is completed correctly.

Vote by proxy due to a medical or work emergency

In certain circumstances, where you have an emergency that means you can't go to the polling station in person, you can apply for an emergency proxy up to 5pm on the day of the election.

For further details and to download a form please see the Electoral Commission’s website

Being appointed as a proxy

If you have been appointed as someone’s proxy, this means you can cast their vote on their behalf.

You can be a proxy for up to four people, where two can be domestic and two can be overseas electors.

You can only act as proxy if you are 18 years old or over and you are (or will be) registered to vote for that election or referendum.

The person who appointed you will tell you how they want you to vote on their behalf, for example, which candidate, party, or outcome.

How to vote as someone’s proxy

You must go to the polling station of the person who appointed you as their proxy.  If you can’t go to their polling station, you can apply to vote for them by post up to 5pm, up to 11 working days before the election.

You will receive a proxy poll card telling you where and when to cast their vote for them. Like voting for yourself, you will need to provide acceptable I.D. to be issued with the ballot paper. 

If you don’t receive a proxy poll card, you can check where to go to vote by contacting electoral services on 020 8547 5026 or by email at electoral.services@kingston.gov.uk.

The person who appointed you as their proxy may still vote in person, provided they do so before you have voted for them and only if you have not applied to vote for them by post.