Apply for a Postal or Proxy Vote

It is possible to vote by post in an election. However to vote by post you will have to be registered at your current address. If you apply to vote by post you will receive a postal pack (ballot paper, postal voting statement and return envelopes) at the address you have requested.

When you receive your postal pack, it should contain:

• Envelope A / Postal Voting Statement
• Ballot paper
• Return envelope (Envelope B)
• Guide to completing your postal vote

The ballot paper and the postal voting statement will both be numbered and these numbers should match.

If you have a postal vote you will not be able to vote in person at a polling station. However it is possible to hand your complete postal pack into a polling station within the Fife Council area if you are unable to post it in time.

If your circumstances change, for example if you move house or change your name, your previous postal vote will no longer be valid. You will need to re-apply for a postal vote at your new address – this can be done at the same time as you register.

Please note that at elections, postal votes cannot be issued immediately. Due to production deadlines there will be a delay in issuing postal packs. Additionally the mail service to and from overseas countries cannot always be guaranteed and you should seek advice at the time as to whether or not it is practical for a postal vote to be sent and returned before election day or whether you would be better arranging a proxy vote for the election.

If you can’t vote in person, you can apply to vote by proxy. However to vote by proxy you, and the person you ask to vote on your behalf, will have to be registered before a proxy application can be approved. Anyone can be your proxy as long as they are eligible to vote in the election and are willing to vote on your behalf.

You have to provide a reason for needing a proxy vote.

For example:

• you are going away on holiday
• you have a physical condition that prevents you from getting to the polling place
• the kind of work you do means you can’t get to the polling station
• you have to attend an educational course
• you are a Crown Servant or a member of Her Majesty’s Armed force.

To apply for a proxy vote please complete the correct form which you’ll find here. Return it to the Electoral Registration Team.

Contact details are on this page.

Even if you have a proxy vote, you will be able to vote in person if you arrive to vote before your proxy.

If your circumstances change, for example if you move house or change your name, your previous proxy vote will no longer be valid. You will need to re-apply for a proxy vote at your new address – this can be done at the same time as you register.

If you haven’t received your postal pack by Friday 23rd April, please call 03451 55 55 22 for a replacement pack.

The law requires us to seek confirmation of your identity before issuing a replacement pack – this could be your passport, driving licence, bus pass or student card.

If you don’t have any of these documents then we can advise what other forms of identification can be used.

We will cancel the original pack once we’ve issued you with a replacement.

Please call 03451 55 55 22 and we’ll send you out a replacement.

Please check contents of your postal pack again as the ballot papers can get caught up in other documents.

If one or both are still missing, we can send you a replacement after you send us back all contents of original pack for cancellation. (This can be done by post but may be easier in person). Please call 03451 55 55 22 for a replacement pack.

You should receive two different coloured ballot papers in your pack – a lilac ballot paper for the constituency and a peach ballot paper for the regional list.

If you don’t have a lilac or a peach ballot paper, please call 03451 55 55 22 for a replacement pack and return all of the contents of the pack so it can be replaced.

You should receive two different coloured ballot papers in your pack – a lilac ballot paper for the constituency and a peach ballot paper for the regional list.

The numbers on these ballot papers should match with the number on your Postal Voting Statement (PVS).

If one or both ballot paper number(s) does not match the number on the PVS please call 03451 55 55 22 for a replacement pack and return all of the contents of the pack so the pack can be replaced.

If you have more than one of either or both ballot papers, please check if the numbers on the ballot paper match the number on the postal ballot paper.

If they do, you can complete and return the ballot papers as normal but please include any additional papers in a separate envelope in the envelope B.

If the damage is only superficial (e.g. a coffee spill), this won’t invalidate your vote.  Let it dry then clearly mark the ballot paper, complete your date of birth and sign the Postal Vote Statement.

If the ballot paper has been damaged and cannot be used, you will need to return the damaged pack and apply for a replacement pack by calling 03451 55 55 22.

Don’t worry, this isn’t a problem.  Put the Postal Voting Statement (PVS) and envelope A, containing the completed ballot papers, into envelope B, making sure that the Returning Officer’s address is showing in the envelope window, and send it back.

Score it out and enter the correct date of birth above the boxes if necessary. Do not use Tippex as this may invalidate your vote.

Score it out and sign the correct PVS, outwith the signature box if necessary. Do not use Tippex as this may invalidate your vote.

Score out your vote.  Make it very clear who you wish to vote for.  Do not use Tippex as this may invalidate your vote. Do not sign or initial the change as this may identify you as the voter.

Then -

• Place your ballot papers in envelope A
• sign the Postal Voting Statement
• add your date of birth to the Postal Voting Statement and;
• return the envelope and Postal Voting Statement (with your signature and date of birth on it) in envelope B.

Open it carefully and put the rest of the documents in and re-seal envelope B. Sellotape is fine.

Please open envelope B and turn the envelope A/Postal Voting Statement around so that the Returning Officer’s address can be seen in the window.

There may be orange franking marks on the envelope B – score these out and return the postal pack.

To see if your postal vote has been received and opened please visit:

https://pireturn.idoxgroup.com

and log in using your username (shown on your postal voting statement under the barcode) and password (which is your Date of Birth), after 6pm between 21st April and 6th May.

Please note:

• It takes time to open all the postal packs due to the numbers received
• We can only check postal packs which have been opened
• We start opening postal packs on Tuesday 20 April and the site will be updated by 6 p.m. on the following dates for each constituency:

Tuesday 20th April

Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy and North East Fife

Wednesday 21st April

Cowdenbeath, Dunfermline and Mid Fife & Glenrothes (Note - no packs from Kirkcaldy or North East Fife will be opened on 21st)

If you have posted your postal pack to us by Friday 30 April and your details still do not appear on the website after 6pm on Tuesday 4 May, please call us on 03451 55 55 22.

10.00 p.m. on polling day (6th May)

But please be aware that, by law, any requests for a replacement postal vote pack after 5pm on the day before polling (Wednesday 5th May) can only be dealt with in person.

So after 5pm on 5th May, you will have to return the replacement pack in person. Please call 03451 55 55 22 to arrange to do so.

Yes, but you can only do so if you have not returned your postal pack and you must contact us on 03451 55 55 11 by 5pm on Tuesday 20th April to let us know this is what you want to do.

Remember that you can also drop your pack off to your nearest polling station if you’ve left it too late to post back.

If you have changed your name (e.g. married/divorced) you can still vote but must use the signature that appears on your postal vote application form. Otherwise the signature on your Postal Vote Statement will not match when it’s scanned.

Unfortunately, no one can sign a Postal Voting Statement on behalf of another voter, not even under a Power of Attorney.

For future elections, our Electoral Registration team can issue the voter with a “waiver”. This means the voter does not have to sign the Postal Vote Statement. To arrange a waiver, call 03451 55 55 11.

There’s a step-by-step picture guide with the “Quick Guide to Postal Voting” leaflet in your pack. We hope this helps, but if you need further help call 03451 55 55 22 or ask a friend to help you. However, this person must not disclose how you have voted to anyone.

You can return your postal vote to your nearest polling station on polling day, up until the polls close at 10pm.

You can find your nearest polling station by clicking on this link.

Please call 03451 55 55 22.

2 ballot papers (1 lilac and 1 peach)

• List of party and individual candidates for regional list
• Postal voting statement attached to Envelope A (ballot paper envelope)
• Envelope B (return envelope)
• Guidance for completing your postal votes