How to vote

Voting at a polling station

You will receive a polling card with details of your polling station. Please check this carefully as your usual polling station may have changed. You may still vote without your polling card.

Polling stations open from 7am to 10pm on the day of the election.

If you are unable to get to the polling station on the day of the election there are other options on this page. A video from the Electoral Commission on YouTube has useful information about absent voting (voting by proxy or postal vote):

Registering to vote

Why register?

• If you're not registered, you can't vote
• By law you must register or you could be fined up to £80
• If you are not on the register you may find it harder to get a loan, mortgage, finance agreement, or even a mobile phone contract as the register is used by credit reference agencies

Who can register to vote?

To register to vote you must:

• Live in the electoral area
• Be at least 18 years old or due to become 18 during the registration period
• Be British, Irish, Commonwealth citizen or citizen of a European Union country

How can I register to vote?

The quickest way to register to vote is online, but you can also complete a paper form:

Or alternatively you can contact Democratic Services:

Voting by post (postal vote)

If you know that you won't be able to get to the polling station on polling day, you can vote by post.

You can apply for a postal vote because you're away on holiday or because your work schedule means you can't get to the polling station. You can also choose to vote by post simply because it would be more convenient for you.

How can I apply for a postal vote?

You can apply online:

Or you can download a paper copy, complete it and return to us by post:

• Address: Democratic Services, Cheshire West and Chester Council, The Portal, Wellington Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BA

Alternatively, you can scan/photograph and send it to us by email: elreg@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk.

Voting by proxy (proxy vote)

Proxy voting means you appoint someone to vote on your behalf if you are unable to get to the polling station on election day. Your chosen proxy must also be registered to vote. To vote by proxy you must give a reason, for example if you are away on holiday or on business. The proxy vote will only be valid for the current election.

How can I apply for a proxy vote?

You can apply online:

Or you can download a paper copy, complete it and return to us by post:

• Address: Democratic Services, Cheshire West and Chester Council, The Portal, Wellington Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BA

Alternatively, you can scan and send it to us using our general enquiries form.

Emergency proxy

In the case of medical emergencies, a proxy or postal vote may be applied for up to 5pm on polling day. This application must be attested by a medical professional.

You can also apply to vote by emergency proxy if your occupation, service or employment means that you cannot go to the polling station in person, and you only became aware of that fact after the proxy vote deadline.

To apply for a proxy or postal vote, you must already be registered to vote.

Overseas voters

In the past, British citizens were only eligible to vote in UK Parliament elections if they had previously been registered in the UK and living abroad for less than 15 years.

On 16 January 2024, changes will be introduced to overseas electors which will mean that:

• there will no longer be a 15 year limit on voting rights
• people living overseas can now register to vote in the UK no matter how long ago they left or were last registered to vote in the UK
• overseas declarations are now valid for three years, lasting until 1 November in the third year after it takes effect, for example, if your declaration takes effect on 1 March 2024, it will expire on 1 November 2026

This means that British citizens will now be able to vote in UK parliamentary elections, no matter how long they have been away from the UK. They will need to have previously lived, or been registered to vote, in the UK.

How to register

You can register on the Government website and will need to confirm your personal information every three years.

Who cannot register

Commonwealth and the Republic of Ireland citizens cannot register as an Overseas Elector.

If you are already registered as an overseas elector in Cheshire West and Chester and reapply, your application will be rejected as your registration will continue under the renewal process.

Apply to vote by post or proxy

Many voters living abroad choose to apply for absent votes.

Applications to vote by post or proxy can now also be completed online.

Further information

Armed forces voters posted abroad

Service personnel and their spouses or civil partners posted abroad can register to vote online.

You can register at the address in the UK where you would be living if not posted overseas or at an address where you have lived in the past.

Armed forces voters posted elsewhere in the UK

Service personnel and their spouses or civil partners can register to vote online.

Methods of voting for armed forces personnel

Service voters and their spouses or civil partners can vote in person or can opt to vote by post or proxy. Postal and proxy applications forms can be downloaded from the Electoral Commission website:

Postal votes are usually sent out about 10 days before polling day. If you are living abroad it is advisable that you appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf as there is unlikely to be enough time for postal votes to reach you and be sent back before close of poll.

Voting if you have a disability

We offer a range of support for voters with a disability, including voters with a learning disability. Most of our polling stations:

• are wheelchair accessible and we provide ramps where needed
• have a polling booth adapted for wheelchair users
• have large print versions of ballot papers, along with aids to enable blind voters to mark their ballot papers without help.

If you are a voter with a disability and you need support to complete a ballot paper on your own, you can take a friend or relative to the polling station to help you.

The presiding officer at the polling station can also help you fill in your ballot paper.

Guides for voters with a learning disability

You can view or download easy read guides about voting and registering to vote on Mencap's website: