Voting by Post and by Proxy

If you cannot get to the polling station on election day in the UK you can apply to vote by post or by proxy. Postal votes can be requested by anyone on the electoral register and are sent out in advance of the election to be returned by post. Proxy votes — where another voter casts your ballot on your behalf — require a specific reason, such as being out of the country, working away or being unable to attend in person.

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Applications for postal and proxy votes have deadlines (usually 11 working days before polling day for a postal vote, six for a proxy). Since 2023, voters in Great Britain who attend in person must also bring an accepted form of photo ID; postal votes are unaffected by this requirement.

You may be asked what alternatives there are to voting in person (postal or proxy), or what new requirement applies in person since 2023 (photo ID).

Test yourself on this topic

These questions from the official-format question bank cover the same material. Tap any question to see the correct answer and a short explanation.

1. If it is difficult for you to get to a polling station or polling place
2. Where do you have to be registered to be able to vote?
3. What tells you where your polling station or polling place is and when the election will take place?
4. In order to vote in a parliamentary, local, or European election, you must have your name on the register of electors, known as the electoral register
5. People vote in elections at
6. To be able to vote in a parliamentary, local or European election, you must register and your name must be on the electoral register

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