Ways to vote

How to vote 

Voting by post 

Electors can vote by post, once their application has been verified.  Applications to vote by post should be made via the Government's portal at www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote.  

Postal voters will be sent a postal pack containing their ballot paper and a statement.  This statement must be filled in with the elector's date of birth and be signed, before returning with the ballot paper.

Postal votes should be returned via a Royal Mail mailbox in plenty of time to be received at the Council offices before the election.

Postal votes can also be handed in at the Council offices or a polling station in the elector's voting area.  Anyone handing in a postal vote must complete a form (possibly a separate form for each election if more than one are being held the same day) before the postal vote can be accepted.  A maximum of 5 postal votes, plus the person's own, can be handed in - in total, i.e. if someone hands in the maximum number they cannot then hand in any further postal votes at any other time/place.

Political campaigners are not permitted to handle anybody else's postal vote, except their own and that of family members or as someone's carer.

To vote by post, you must already be a registered voter.  Not everyone on the electoral register can vote in every election. If unsure, please check with Electoral Services by telephoning 01353 665555. 

Voting by proxy

Electors can vote by proxy, that is getting another elector to vote on their behalf. Applications to use a proxy to vote for you should be made via the Government's portal at www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote.

Once verified, the Proxy can then vote in the elector's polling station and must produce their own, not the elector's, photographic identity document.

A Proxy may also vote by post. The same rules as stated above (Voting by post) will apply to the Proxy.

EMERGENCY PROXY

If a voter cannot attend to vote at their polling station due to an unexpected specific reason just before an election, they can apply for an emergency proxy.  This is limited to certain categories of electors, e.g. suddenly called to work so cannot attend their polling station or a medical emergency.  The Elections office should be contacted immediately to arrange this - elections@eastcambs.gov.uk.

    Voting in person at a polling station 

    Electors will only be permitted to vote in their polling station if they show appropriate photographic evidence to the polling station staff.  Any elector not providing that evidence will not be issued with a ballot paper and will not be able to vote. However, an elector will be allowed to return to their polling station later with a permitted document and be allowed to vote. 

    Any elector who does not have one of the permitted documents can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate online at www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate  (or Anonymous Elector’s Document). This should be applied for before the deadline of six working days before the election(s) to allow the application to be processed. Electors will only be allowed to be in possession of one Voter Authority Certificate at any one time.

    The list of permitted documents is shown below: 

    • United Kingdom pass  
    • European Union Country passport  
    • Commonwealth Country passport 
    • UK driving licence 
    • Channel Island or Isle of Man driving licence 
    • European Union Country driving licence 
    • European Union Country identity card 
    • Biometric immigration document 
    • Chronically sick or disabled persons badge 
    • Citizen card 
    • My ID card 
    • NUS Totum ID card 
    • Validate UK card 
    • Young scot card 
    • One ID 4 U card 
    • Defence identity card 
    • Older person’s bus pass 
    • Disabled person’s bus pass 
    • Oyster 60+ card 
    • Freedom card