Proxy votes

If you are unable to get to the polling station, you can appoint someone else to vote on your behalf

You must be registered to vote first and can only apply if:

• You are unable to go to the polling station for one particular election, eg if you are on holiday
• You have a physical condition that means you cannot attend the polling station
• Your employment or attendance on an educational course mean you cannot attend the polling station
• You are a Crown Servant, British Council Employee or member of the Armed Forces, or spouse or civil partner of one

The Electoral Register

To apply for a proxy vote for the Electoral Register, which is used for National and London-wide elections, you can now apply online, or you can complete the below paper form or a form can be posted to you.

The Ward List

To apply for a proxy vote for the Ward List, which is used for Common Council and Aldermanic elections, you can complete the below paper form or a form can be posted to you.

Applying to vote by proxy

Download and complete the proxy vote application form and email it to the Electoral Services Team. The form must include your date of birth and signature, and must be signed by hand.

Alternatively you can post it to:

Electoral Services
Guildhall, Aldermanbury
London EC2V 7HH

If you do not have access to a printer, contact the Electoral Services team and an application form can be posted to you.

You can apply to vote by proxy at any time, but the deadline to appoint a proxy for an election is 5pm, six working days before the date of the election. 

Who can be your proxy

An appointed proxy can only be the proxy for close relatives and up to two other people at the same election. The proxy must 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.

Emergency proxy application

If you have a employment or medical emergency between election day and six days before, you can apply to vote by emergency proxy​​, but you must get a qualified person to support your application. Emergency proxy application forms can be found on the Electoral Commission website.

If you are not able to attend the polling station in person for reasons relating to your occupation, service or employment, and you only become aware of this after 5pm on the sixth working day before an election, you can apply to vote by emergency proxy. You can apply up until 5pm on election day.

Your application must be supported by your employer or another authorised person at your workplace. If you are self-employed your application can be supported by a person aged 18 years or over who knows you and is not your spouse, civil partner, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, child or grandchild.