Postal and proxy voting

There are various ways you can vote in an election. You can vote at the polling station, by post or by proxy.

If you would like to vote in the polling station, please visit our Voter ID page to find out about the recent changes in voting.

Postal voting

You can apply to vote by post for one of the following:

• a maximum period of up to three years
• a single election on a specific date
• a specified period under three years

To apply to vote by post, you will need to complete and return a postal vote application form. The deadline to apply to vote by post will be 11 working days prior to an election. This is also the deadline to cancel your existing postal vote, if you would like to vote in an alternative way for an upcoming election.

Apply for a postal vote (paper forms)

Apply for a postal vote - online form

If you would prefer a paper copy of this form to be sent to you, please contact the electoral services at electoral.services@basingstoke.gov.uk or call 01256 845467.

Paper application forms are also available to collect from Deanes Reception, Civic Offices, London Road, Basingstoke RG21 4AH between 8.30am-4.30pm Monday to Friday.

As part of the Electoral Administrators Bill 2006, you must provide your date of birth and signature on your postal vote application form. This information is securely held and only used to check the details against the postal voting statement returned with your ballot paper. This is to prevent fraudulent postal votes being returned.

We cannot accept computer generated signatures as you must be able to replicate it on your postal voting statement.

If you have changed your name and this has resulted in a new signature, please ensure your postal vote application has been updated accordingly.

Important: From 31 October 2023, you are required to provide your national insurance number when applying to vote by post. Not providing your national insurance number can cause delays with your application and if you do not provide your national insurance number, you will be asked to provide evidence of identity before we can process your application. Therefore, we recommend having your national insurance number to hand when completing your application.

Completing and returning your postal ballot pack:

Postal ballot packs will be dispatched on strict dates, in accordance with the election timetable. Postal ballot papers can only be sent from 19 working days to 8 working days prior to an election. If you do not think this would be enough time to receive, complete and return your postal vote you may wish to consider voting by proxy. Therefore, if you are away on holiday close to the election day, we would advise you to contact Electoral Services to find out the approximate posting dates.

Once you have received your postal ballot pack, complete the ballot paper and provide your date of birth and signature on the postal voting statement. Please be aware that the first two digits of your birth year has been pre-populated on your postal voting statement. Once completed, follow the instructions provided to send it back to the Civic Offices.

Alternatively, you can hand your completed postal pack into a polling station in the same electoral area you vote in. Please hand this directly to polling station staff. Do not place in the ballot box.

Under the Elections Act 2022, postal voters will be required to complete a Postal Vote Return (PVR) Form if handing their postal vote into the Civic Offices or to their polling station by hand. Please speak to staff directly and wait to complete the PVR Form. If you do not complete the PVR Form, then your vote will be rejected.

You do not need to complete the PVR form if you are returning your postal ballot pack by post. If posting a completed postal ballot pack, the process remains unchanged.

For more information on the change in legislation, please visit www.basingstoke.gov.uk/elections-act

We must receive your completed postal ballot pack by 10pm on polling day for your vote be counted.

Please note, postal voters cannot be issued with a ballot paper in a polling station.

Proxy voting

Proxy voting means nominating someone else to vote on your behalf. Once your application has been processed, your nominated proxy will be able to cast your vote at your local polling station.

You can appoint a proxy for one election only. You can apply online at www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote or contact the electoral services team for a paper application form.

If you require a long-term proxy because you are:

• a British citizen living overseas
• in the armed forces or a spouse or civil partner of someone in the armed forces
• a crown servant, or British Council employee or a spouse or civil partner of a crown servant or British Council employee
• living in the UK but need to travel by sea or air to your polling station
• attending an educational course
• unable to attend a polling station due to your employment
• unable to attend a polling station due to a disability

You can apply online or contact the electoral services team for the relevant paper form.

The deadline to apply to vote by proxy is 6 working days prior to polling day.

If the person you have appointed to act as your proxy is unable to get to the polling station or lives outside of the area, you can apply for them to become a postal proxy and they will have the ballot paper sent to them.

Important: Under the new Election Act 2022, voters in polling stations will be required to show photographic identification when voting. Your proxy will need to show their own ID to polling station staff, to prove they are the named proxy. They will not need to show identification of the elector on whose behalf they are voting on. For more information, please visit our Voter ID page. Voter ID page .

From of 31 October 2023, you are required to provide your national insurance number when applying to vote by proxy. Not providing your national insurance number can cause delays with your application and if you do not provide your national insurance number, you will be asked to provide evidence of identity before we can process your application. Therefore, we recommend having your national insurance number to hand when completing your application.

Postal proxy

If the person you have appointed to act as your proxy is unable to get to your polling station or lives outside of the area, you can apply for them to become a postal proxy and they will have the ballot paper sent to them. To apply for postal proxy voting, please complete and return your proxy application form first. Your nominated proxy will then need to complete a Proxy to vote by Post application form. Please contact Electoral Services directly to request the relevant form.

If you are able to vote on election day, you can vote at the polling station provided your appointed proxy has not already voted on your behalf. If you have appointed a postal proxy, you will not be able to vote in the polling station as the proxy has already been issued your ballot paper.

The deadline to apply to vote by postal proxy is 11 working days prior to polling day.

Overseas Electors

If you are a registered overseas elector, you will have the same voting options to vote as a registered elector. Although you are registered as overseas and not resident in the UK, you won't automatically receive a postal vote. If you can't vote at your UK polling station, you will need to apply to vote by post or appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf. If you do not apply to vote by post or proxy, you will only be entitled to vote at your UK polling station.

If you choose to vote by post, we cannot guarantee the reliability of overseas postal services. Please be aware postal ballot papers can only be sent from 19 working days to 8 working days prior to an election. If you do not think this would be enough time to receive, complete and return your postal vote you may wish to consider voting by proxy.

If you would like to vote by proxy, you will need to complete an application form to nominate someone to vote on your behalf. They will then be eligible to go to your assigned polling station (based on your qualifying address) and be issued a ballot paper to cast your vote on election day. If the person you have appointed to act as your proxy is unable to get to the polling station or lives outside of the area, they can apply to become a postal proxy and they will have a ballot paper sent to them. You must complete a proxy application form before your nominated proxy can request to vote by postal proxy. To apply for an application form to vote by postal proxy, please contact Electoral Services.

Please note, overseas electors can vote in UK Parliamentary elections but not local government elections.

Applying to vote by post or proxy during the election period

The deadline to apply to vote by post will be 11 working days prior to an election. The deadline to apply to vote by proxy is 6 working days prior to polling day. The deadline to apply to vote by postal proxy is 11 working days prior to polling day.

You can apply to vote by post online

You can apply to vote by proxy online

Alternatively, please contact electoral services for a paper form. To ensure your application form is received before the deadline, you may wish to use a 1st class stamp or scan and email the completed application to electoral.services@basingstoke.gov.uk if completing a paper application form . It is important that signature specimens are clear. Therefore, if the application is completed and emailed, the image provided must be clear or it may be rejected and returned.

Details provided on your postal or postal proxy voting form will be passed to a 3rd party for production of your postal vote pack.