What to do if you missed the postal vote deadline as General Election nears (2024)

Postal vote (Image: Getty)

Millions of Britons across the country are preparing to head to the polls for the General Election on July 4.

Many will have opted to cast their ballot with a postal vote for various reasons, but the deadline to register to vote or apply for a postal vote expired on Wednesday, June 19.

However, you may still be able to vote without having to go directly to the polling station, though the rules vary across the UK.

If you live in England, Wales or Scotland, you can get someone else to vote on your behalf (called a proxy), provided you have already registered to vote.

If you want to apply for a proxy vote, you must apply by 5pm on June 26, 2024, according to the government's website.

The national vote is now just two weeks away. (Image: Getty)

A proxy vote can only be applied for under certain circ*mstances, which include:

• Being away on polling day
• Being registered as an overseas voter
• Having a medical issue or disability
• Not being able to vote in person because of work or military service

If the proxy vote deadline has expired you may be still able to apply for an emergency proxy vote in the following circ*mstances:

• You cannot vote in person because of a medical emergency or disability
• You cannot vote in person because of your employment
• The photo ID you were planning on using to vote has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed
• You’ve not yet received a new or replacement photo ID you’ve ordered

If you live in Northern Ireland you can apply for an emergency postal vote by post if you have a medical condition that couldn't have been foreseen before June 14 or because you are employed to deliver the election.

An application for an emergency postal vote arrangement must be received by the Electoral Office by 5pm on June 26 2024.

If you have applied for a postal vote but don't manage to post it in time, you can take it to your local polling station by 10pm on election day, or Electoral Registration Office before it closes.

However, voters in Northern Ireland can only hand their postal vote form at an Electoral Registration Office.

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Voting (Image: Getty)

Your vote won't be counted if you do not give your ballot paper to a member of staff at the polling station or Electoral Registration Office and complete a form.

Ballots posted through letterbox of the Electoral Registration Office will be rejected.

The rules allow people to hand in their own postal vote as well postal votes for up to five other people.

However, if you're a political campaigner, the five other voters have to be family members or people for whom you provide regular care.

You will also need to bring a form of ID. You can find all the accepted forms of identification and information on what you need to bring to the polling station here.

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