You may still be able to vote even
if you are unable to get to your polling station on election day.
You can apply to vote by post or proxy. (A proxy is someone who
votes on your behalf).
If you want to appoint a proxy to
vote for you, he or she must be:
- Willing to vote on your behalf
- A British citizen or citizen of the Commonwealth or the
Republic of Ireland, or for local government and European
Parliamentary elections, a citizen of the European
Union
- Old enough to vote and legally allowed to
vote.
You will need to enter your proxy's
full name and address, together with details of their relationship
to you (if any) on the form. A proxy may not vote at the same
election for more than two people unless they are a close relative
(husband, wife, civil partner, parent, grandparent, brother,
sister, child or grandchild) of the people they are voting for.
Your proxy does not necessarily have to sign the form. As long as
you have consulted them and they have confirmed that they can and
will be your proxy, only you need sign the form and state your date
of birth. If the person you want to be your proxy does not live in
the same area as you, and would have to travel to attend your usual
Polling Station - please ask for details of a Postal Proxy
Vote.
If an election is announced and you
know that you will not be able to vote in person, you must complete
and return an application form as soon as possible. Forms are also
available from any of the Council's four Town Centre Offices or
from Main Reception at the Town Hall, Ripley
The electoral registration officer
must receive your completed application form by 5.00 pm, six
working days before election day. (Working days exclude weekends,
bank holidays, Good Friday, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). This
leaves very little time after an election is announced, so you must
complete and return your form as quickly as possible.
If you become ill after this
deadline, and will be unable to attend the Polling Station, there
is a special deadline of 5 pm on Election Day to cover medical
emergencies. In this case, it will be necessary for your
application to be countersigned by your Doctor.
Once your application is accepted,
your proxy will receive a "proxy paper" which allows him or her to
vote on your behalf on election day.