How to vote

Voting in person

Once registered to vote, you can vote in person at your appointed polling station between 7am to 10pm on the day of election.

Polling station details will appear on your poll card that will be sent out to you a few weeks before each election.

If you lose or forget your poll card you can still vote without it, but it is easier if you have it with you.

However, if you are registered to vote anonymously for your safety, voting in person is slightly different as your name does not appear in the Electoral Register.

If you are an anonymous voter and wish to vote in person, you need to apply for an Anonymous Elector's Document ahead of polling day which you must take with you to vote, along with your Poll Card.

Apply for a postal vote

You can choose to vote by post because you might not be able to get to your polling station on the day of election or because it might be more convenient.

Postal vote packs are usually sent out about 10 to 15 days before election day. They must be completed and returned by 10pm on the day of the election.

To apply for a postal vote, you can download a postal vote application form. Once you have completed it, post it to any of our 4 office locations.

Alternatively, visit our offices to drop off correspondence and forms without making an appointment – just hand the information to reception marked for the election office.

Please remember to complete a new postal vote application whenever you change your address or name (as your signature might be affected). In order to vote by post at any given election, you must have submitted your application by 5pm, 11 working days before polling day. 

Apply for a proxy vote

A proxy vote is where an elector appoints someone that they trust to vote on their behalf.

Both the elector and proxy voter must already be registered and eligible to vote in the relevant type of election.

The nominated proxy will need to either be able to vote in person at the polling station assigned to the elector or cast their proxy vote by post.

Once a proxy has been appointed the elector and their proxy will receive a letter and poll card to inform that the arrangement has been accepted.

Both the letter and poll card are for information purposes only and do not need to be brought to the polling station in order to vote at the polling station, unless the elector is anonymous.

Where a proxy has been appointed to vote at a polling station, the elector can vote at the polling station themselves if they wish – but only if the proxy has not already voted on their behalf.

Proxy vote by post

For your proxy to vote by post, they must complete an application to vote by post and return it by the postal vote deadline for that election.

The proxy will receive a letter and / or poll card at their address confirming the details dependent on when they applied for a postal proxy vote.

The nominated proxy should contact the elections office to request a postal proxy application once they have been appointed.

Apply for a proxy vote

Complete an application to vote by proxy (by the deadline for that election) or contact the elections office if you need a paper copy.

Once you have completed it, post it into any of our 4 office locations.

Alternatively, visit our offices to drop off correspondence and forms without making an appointment – just hand the information to reception marked for the election office.

Apply for an emergency proxy

An elector can appoint an emergency proxy to vote at their appointed polling station on their behalf at an election after the normal deadlines have passed, up to 5pm on polling day, in the following circumstances:

• medical condition, illness or disability arising after the deadline for ordinary proxy applications 
• mental health patient detained under civil powers
• occupation, service, or employment means they cannot go to the polling station in person, and they became aware of this after the deadline for ordinary proxy applications has closed.

To apply for an emergency proxy vote, you must contact your local elections office as soon as you can after the normal proxy deadline has passed.

Last updated 12 April 2023