If you know that you won’t be able to get to a polling station on polling day, you can apply to vote by post or by proxy.
You need to be registered to vote to apply for a postal or proxy vote. If you are not registered to vote you can do so online www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
UK Parliament Elections
There are changes to voting by post and by proxy for UK parliament elections which came into effect on 31 October 2023:
- You can now apply online to vote by post or by proxy for UK Parliament Elections.
- You must now prove your identity when applying to vote by post or by proxy for UK Parliament elections by providing your National Insurance Number.
- You can now hold a postal or proxy vote for UK Parliament elections for a maximum period of three years only. You will need to reapply at the end of that time.
- There are now limits to how many people an elector can act as a proxy for at UK Parliament elections. This means an elector can only act as a proxy for two people living in the UK. If you act as a proxy for people living overseas, you can act as proxy for up to four people but only two of these can be based in the UK.
Scottish Parliament and Local Council elections
These changes do not apply to Scottish Parliament and Local Government elections. Please see our FAQs to see how to apply for a postal or proxy vote.
Links
Register to vote: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Apply online for a postal vote (UK parliament elections only): www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote
Apply online for a proxy vote (UK Parliament elections only): www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote
Electoral Commission: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/ways-vote
Postal and Proxy Voting FAQs
If you are unsure if you are registered to vote or not, contact the Electoral Registration Office who will be able to confirm this.
From the 31 October 2023, it depends on what kind of election you are entitled to vote in and what kind of election you want a postal vote for.
Generally, if you are a UK or Commonwealth citizen, 18 or over and you are on the Electoral Register you are entitled to vote at both UK Parliament and Scottish elections. You need to apply for a postal vote separately for each type of election.
If you only wish a postal vote for a UK Parliament election, go to www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote and complete the online form.
If you only wish to vote in a Scottish election, please complete this form and return it to the Electoral Registration Officer
Link to form is Application to vote by post in Scottish Parliament and council elections (electoralcommission.org.uk)
If you wish a postal vote for both election types go to www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote and complete the online form for UK Parliament elections but you will also need complete this form for Scottish Elections and return to the Electoral Registration Office. Alternatively, you can complete this form for both types of elections and return it the Electoral Registration Office.
If you are not a UK or Commonwealth citizen or are aged 16/17 and are on the Electoral Register, then it is likely that you will only be eligible to vote in Scottish Elections and you should complete this form and return it to you Electoral Registration Office.
If you are unable to apply online or to download a form, please contact the Electoral Registration Office for the relevant application form.
If you have a postal vote, you will not be able to vote in person on polling day. However, it is possible to hand in your completed postal voting pack into a polling station within the Fife Council area if you are unable to post it in time.
At UK Parliament elections, the rules for handing in your postal vote to the polling station are different. You must complete a form when handing in your postal vote or your vote may not be counted.
Postal voting packs cannot be issued before a specific date in the electoral timetable. If you are likely to be away, please contact the Electoral Services team for advice.
If you move house or change your name, your postal vote will no longer be valid. You will need to re-apply at your new address and/or with your new name. This can be done at the same time as you re-register to vote.
If you know that you won’t be able to get to the polling station on polling day, you can ask someone you trust to cast your vote for you, which is called a proxy vote.
From 31 October 2023, it depends on what kind of election you are entitled to vote in and what kind of election you want a proxy vote for.
You can apply for a proxy vote for an indefinite period, a definite period or for a particular election. If you only wish a proxy vote at a particular election, then you are required to give a reason why you want to appoint someone else to vote on your behalf.
Both you and the person you are appointing as your proxy must be registered and eligible to vote.
If you only wish a proxy vote for a specific UK Parliament election you can go to www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote and complete the online form.
You can apply for a proxy vote using the online service if you are applying for:
- A proxy for a particular election/referendum
- A proxy for a definite or indefinite period if you live overseas or are a service voter.
If you are applying for a proxy for any other reason, please contact the Electoral Registration Office for advice.
If you only wish a proxy vote for a specific Scottish election you need to complete this form and return it to the Electoral Registration Office.
If you wish to appoint a permanent or long-term proxy for all elections, the form you need to complete depends on the reason why you need a proxy vote. More information on permanent or long-term proxies and application forms is available on the Electoral Commission website or you can contact the Electoral Registration Office who will be able to provide you with further advice and send you out the correct form.
If you wish to vote by post, please contact the Electoral Registration Office for more information on how to apply for a postal vote.
At present, the law only allows for online applications to be made for UK Parliament elections.
If you are applying for a postal or proxy vote for UK Parliament elections, your application will be subject to an identity check. You will be required to submit your full name, signature, date of birth and National Insurance Number for checking.
Applications to vote by post or by proxy for Scottish elections are not subject to an identity check.
If you cannot prove your identity by providing your National Insurance Number or by providing documentary evidence, you can ask someone you know to confirm your identity. Please contact the Electoral Registration Office for further information.
If you already had a postal vote for UK Parliament elections before 31 October 2023, you will not need to reapply for a postal vote until January 2026. The Electoral Registration Officer will contact you before your postal vote for the UK Parliament election is due to expire with information on how to make a fresh application if you wish to continue to vote by post.
If you have a postal vote for Scottish Parliament and Scottish Local Government elections, you do not need to reapply for a postal vote, but you will be asked to refresh your signature every five years.
If you already had a proxy vote for UK Parliament elections before 31 October 2023, you will be asked to reapply before 31 January 2024. The Electoral Registration Office will contact you before this date with information on how to make a fresh application if you wish to continue to vote by proxy.
If you have a proxy vote for Scottish Parliament and Scottish Local Government elections, you do not need to reapply for a proxy vote, but you will be asked to refresh your signature every five years.
Contact Details
Electoral Registration Office (Fife)
Fife House, North Street, Glenrothes, KY7 5LT
T: 03451 55 55 11
Electoral Commission Helpline
T: 0800 328 0280
