If you cannot attend your polling station on polling day, and do not have a postal vote, you can apply for somebody to vote on your behalf, this is called a proxy.

Your proxy must be an eligible elector in their own right.  Even if you appoint a proxy you are still entitled to vote on your own behalf at an election, but only if your proxy has not already voted for you.

Apply for a 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, in which case the same rules for a normal postal vote will apply.

An elector will only be permitted to be a proxy voter on behalf of a maximum four other electors, a maximum of two of which are ordinary electors (with two being other category electors, such as overseas electors or service voters).

Eligibility to be a proxy  

• you must be 18 or over 
• you must be entitled to vote at the election 
• you cannot vote for more than four people, a maximum of two of which are ordinary electors
• you must consult with the person you are appointing as your proxy before nominating them to make sure they are willing and able to be your proxy

Emergency proxy

An emergency proxy vote can only be applied for after the deadline for normal proxy applications has passed, usually several days before the election(s), and before 5pm on the day of elections.

This should only be applied for if your circumstances change immediately before an election(s), where you cannot attend your polling station. This could include for health or employment reasons. You will need a valid reason to be given an emergency proxy vote.

The elections office should be contacted immediately to arrange this at elections@eastcambs.gov.uk or call 01353 665555.