Voting by post or proxy

If you are unable to vote in person at the polling station on polling day, you can arrange for a postal vote or a proxy vote (someone to vote on your behalf). For example, you might:

be on holiday or at work
have a medical condition or disability which makes it difficult to attend the polling station

Postal vote

You can apply to vote by post if you are unable to go to your polling station on election day, or if you simply prefer to vote by post.

Postal vote applicants are now required to provide their National Insurance number, date of birth and signature. Postal vote applications will expire after three years, and a fresh application will have to be submitted.

Applying for a postal vote

The quickest way to apply is to online. Your identity will be checked automatically and if successfully verified, the Electoral Services team will be notified no later than the following day. Should the application fail to verify you will be asked to provide supporting evidence to confirm your identity.

If you are unable to apply online, you can download a paper version from GOV.UK or request a form from the Electoral Services team, which we can send by email or through the post.

If you want to email us your completed form, you need to print it, sign it by hand and scan it. We cannot accept digital signatures.

Completing your application

You need to apply for a postal vote by 5pm on the eleventh working day before polling day.

When completing your form, either online or a paper version, make sure you include your:

your National Insurance number
date of birth
signature

or you will be asked to provide additional supporting evidence to confirm your identity. This will delay your application and could result in your identity not being confirmed early enough for your postal vote to be issued in time for the next scheduled election.

Returning your vote

A few weeks before polling day, you will receive a postal ballot pack that will include your ballot paper/s and a postal voting statement. You will need to sign and return the statement to us in our pre-paid envelope along with your clearly marked ballot papers. They must reach the Returning Officer by 10pm on polling day.

Returning postal votes by hand

The number of postal votes that can be handed in by one person is restricted. Restrictions also apply to who the individual handing in the postal votes can be for each poll taking place. These restrictions apply in both polling stations and council buildings. By law, you can only hand in your own postal vote, and those of up to five others.

You can personally hand postal votes to a member of staff authorised to receive them at Kensington Town Hall between the hours of 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. On polling day, you can also hand postal votes in at a polling station within the borough. Votes must be received by 10pm. You will need to complete a short form when handing in postal votes.

Proxy voting

If you are unable to go in person to your polling station, you can also vote by proxy. A proxy vote allows someone you trust to vote on your behalf. Once appointed, on polling day they will attend the polling station at which you would normally vote at and cast your vote.

Voters are limited to acting as a proxy for up to four people, of which no more than two can be based in the UK, that is not overseas voters.

Applying for a proxy vote

The quickest way is to apply online. Your identity will be checked automatically and if successfully verified, the Electoral Services team will be notified no later than the following day.

Should the application fail to verify you will be asked to provide supporting evidence to confirm your identity.

Completing your application

You need to apply for a proxy by 5pm on the sixth working day before polling day.

To apply for a proxy, you must complete a form and give a reason you cannot get to your polling station in person. The form you need to complete depends on the reason you need a proxy, if you:

are going to be on holiday
are away for work
have a physical condition which means you cannot get to your polling station on polling day
are an overseas voter

For more information and links to the different forms available to download, visit GOV.UK or contact the Electoral Services team directly. We can send you the correct form via email or through the post.

Postal proxy

A postal proxy is someone appointed as your proxy who is unable to attend the polling station in person.

A few weeks before polling day, the proxy is sent a postal ballot pack including ballot paper/s and a postal voting statement. They will need to sign the statement and return it to us in our pre-paid envelope along with clearly marked ballot papers, by 10pm on polling day.

As well as an elector completing a proxy application, the proxy must complete a postal proxy application containing their signature and date of birth. A postal proxy arrangement can only be put in place if both applications reach us by 5pm, 11 working days before polling day.

Emergency proxy

In certain circumstances, where you have an emergency that means you cannot vote in person, you can apply for an emergency proxy.

You can apply for an emergency proxy if:

you have a medical emergency
you are away for work
your photo ID is lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged, and the deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate has passed. This form can also be used if your Anonymous Elector’s Document is lost stolen, destroyed, or damaged

An emergency proxy application can be requested for these reasons, up to 5pm on polling day, if you missed the original proxy application deadline of 11 working days before polling day.

Contact us

Electoral Services
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Town Hall
Hornton Street
London
W8 7NX

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

telephone: 020 7361 3444
email: [email protected]

Last updated: 11 June 2025

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