Postal and proxy voting

Proxy voting

Changes to proxy voting

The way that you apply for proxy voting is changing from 31 October 2023 where you will have the option of completing a proxy vote application through a new central government portal. 

Apply for a proxy vote via the government website.

You will also need to provide your national insurance number when applying for a proxy vote whether this is an online application or paper application. 

You will only be able to act as a proxy for up to 2 people living in the UK (or a maximum of 4 people, with 2 people living in the UK and 2 people registered as living overseas). 

All existing proxy voters who had an arrangement in place before 31 October 2023 must have re-applied and made a fresh application by 31 January 2024. 

What is a proxy?

A ‘proxy’ is someone who is appointed by you to vote on your behalf at an election, so to vote by proxy you must first find someone whom you trust to cast your vote (ie mark a ballot paper) on your behalf. They would need to attend your normal polling station to cast the vote unless they apply to vote by post on your behalf. Only electors who are registered are entitled to apply to vote by proxy. If your proxy votes on your behalf at a polling station they will need to take photographic identification with them in order to do so.

There are two types of proxy voting:

Permanent proxy voting:

  • Permanent proxy voting is only available to registered electors on the grounds of health, employment or full time education commitments, or where they are registered as overseas electors or service voters
  • Visit the Electoral Commission website to download the appropriate application form
  • You can request an application form by emailing electoral@lincoln.gov.uk
  • These forms will need to be supported by a suitably qualified person, in accordance with the notes printed on the form, unless you are registered as an overseas elector or service voter, are registered blind or in receipt of certain benefits because of a disability

Temporary proxy voting:

How to apply

Visit the Electoral Commission website to find more information about applying to vote by proxy

The deadline to apply for a proxy vote will depend on the election deadlines for each specific election. 

If you are submitting a paper application to vote by proxy at a particular election, please ensure you allow sufficient time for any proxy vote application forms to reach us, particularly if you are posting your forms. For postal and proxy application forms, you can also scan them and return as an email attachment to electoral@lincoln.gov.uk.

Who can be a proxy?

A proxy must be at least 18 years old, registered to vote and eligible to vote in the election for which you wish to appoint them.

If you and/or the person you wish to appoint as your proxy are not yet registered to vote, you can apply to register online. Apply to register to vote via the government website.

From 31 October 2023, a person is not entitled to vote as proxy in any electoral area on behalf of more than four electors. Within the four electors, no more than two electors can be domestic electors. Domestic electors are those electors who are neither service voters nor overseas electors.

If you appoint a proxy and then have a change of plans, you may still vote in person at your polling station - providing you do so before the proxy has voted on your behalf.

Postal proxy voting

If your proxy cannot attend your polling station in person for any reason on the day of the election, they can apply in advance to vote by post. Once you (the elector) have submitted an application to appoint a proxy, the nominated proxy can then complete an application to vote by postal proxy, which can be requested by emailing electoral@lincoln.gov.uk. Please note that this form is not available to download online. Both the proxy application form (completed by the elector) and the postal proxy form (completed by the nominated proxy) would need to be submitted by the postal voting deadline at an election, which will be at least a week earlier than the proxy voting deadline. 

If you have a postal proxy in place, your proxy will be sent postal voting papers for any elections at which you are eligible to vote. Postal votes are usually sent out approximately about ten days before election day and your proxy needs to make sure it is sent back so that it arrives by the close of poll (which is 10pm on election day). If it arrives later than this your vote will not be counted.

The proxy will need to complete the postal vote as per the instructions accompanying it, and on the postal voting statement they will need to provide their date of birth and signature (as they did on the original application form). Once completed, they should post it as soon as possible to allow plenty of time for it to reach us.

Please note that if your proxy has been allocated a postal proxy neither you nor they will be able to vote at the polling station, even if your proxy has not yet voted. 

Emergency proxy voting

In certain circumstances, you may be able to apply for an emergency proxy up to 5pm on an election day. This is only where you have a medical or work-related emergency or your photographic ID has been lost, damaged or stolen which means you cannot go to the polling station in person. This must have occurred after the normal proxy deadline has passed for an election. You will need to submit a completed application form (which can be emailed to electoral@lincoln.gov.uk) and the form may also need to be signed by a medical professional/employer. 

Visit the Electoral Commission website to download an emergency proxy application form.