Voting by proxy is when you ask another person to vote on your behalf, either at your polling station or by post (postal proxy).

You can only apply for a proxy vote under certain circumstances, including:

• being away on polling day
• having a medical issue or disability
• not being able to vote in person because of work or military service

You can apply to vote by proxy:

• for a single election on a specific date
• for a specific period
• permanently

Who can be a proxy

You can ask anyone to act as your proxy - as long as they:

• are registered to vote
• are allowed to vote in the type of election taking place
• can vote in the polling station stated on your poll card

If they cannot get to your polling station, they'll need to contact Electoral Services to arrange to cast their proxy vote by post.

Register to vote by proxy

The quickest way to register for a proxy vote is online.

If you cannot use the online form, you can download and fill in the proxy vote application form.

Once you've filled in the form, send it back to: Electoral Services, Middlesbrough Council, PO Box 503, Town Hall, Middlesbrough, TS1 9FX.

You'll need to give a reason for wanting to vote by proxy. You may also need a qualified person to confirm that your reason for applying is valid. For example, your doctor (if you're applying for medical reasons) or your employer (if you're applying because of work). Please read the application form carefully to find out whether you need someone to support your application, and who can do it.

Emergency proxy voting

The deadline for applying to vote by proxy is normally 6 working days before an election. However, you can apply for an emergency proxy vote if you both:

• cannot vote in person because of your job or a disability
• became aware of this reason after the proxy voting deadline

You can find out more about applying for an emergency proxy vote on GOV.UK.