Vote by proxy | BETA - South Gloucestershire Council

If you are unable to go to the polling station on the day of an election or referendum you can apply to vote by proxy.

Voting by proxy means you choose someone you trust to vote for you on your behalf at the polling station or by post.

A person can be a proxy for up to two people but more if they are close relatives. The proxy must be registered to vote and aged 18 or over.

Apply to vote by proxy

To vote by proxy for one election complete an application form on the Electoral Commission page. 

When completed you can send the application: 

by email: electoral.services@southglos.gov.uk 
by post: Electoral Registration and Returning Officer, South Gloucestershire Council, PO Box 1953, Bristol, BS37 0DE

The deadline for new applications to vote by proxy is 5pm on the sixth working day before the election.

If you wish to vote by proxy for all future elections, you must give a reason why you require a permanent proxy.  You will also need to provide relevant evidence to back this up.

There are application forms for disability, employment and education course proxies on the Electoral Commission website.

Emergency proxy

If an emergency means you cannot get to the polling station on an election day you may be able to apply for an emergency proxy. It must be for either a medical emergency or a work reason.

There are application forms for emergency disability and emergency employment proxies on the Electoral Commission website.

The deadline for emergency proxy applications is 5pm on election day.

Voter ID

From 4 May 2023 all voters, including proxy voters, need to show photo ID at polling stations before they are given a ballot paper. Find more information on our Voter ID page.