Voting by post or proxy

Vote by post or proxy

You can now apply for a postal or a proxy vote online.

Paper applications will also be accepted. If you are unable to apply online, please download either a postal vote or proxy vote application form and send the completed form to election@solihull.gov.uk or by post to:

Electoral Services
Solihull Council
Council House
Manor Square
Solihull
B91 3QB

Identity checking

All postal and proxy applications must include your National Insurance Number (NINO) or a suitable reason why you cannot provide it. The personal information contained in your application (name, address, DOB and NINO) is then checked against Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) records.

If you fail the DWP match, or if you are unable to provide a NINO, you will be asked to provide documentary evidence to confirm your identity. We will write to you if you need to provide evidence.

How long can I have my postal or proxy vote for?

Postal votes

Your postal vote will last for up to three years.

You must reapply after three years and we will write to you when the time comes to reapply. You may also apply for a postal vote for a particular election or less than three years, if you wish to do so.

If you had an existing postal vote in place before 31 October 2023 and want to continue voting by post, you will need to reapply before 31 January 2026.

Proxy voters

Proxy voters can continue to put in place proxy arrangements for a particular election.

In some circumstances, you may request a permanent proxy vote. This can only be granted if:

you have a disability
you are away from home due to your employment, service or you are on an educational course
you are a Crown Servant or British Council employee
you are a British Citizen registered as an overseas voter

If you are applying for a permanent proxy vote due to a disability or employment, then your application must be signed by your doctor or employer - except if you are registered blind. These types of proxy vote applications cannot be made online.

To apply for a proxy vote, please download the relevant form below:

All permanent proxy vote applications will be subject to a three year eligibility check and a five year signature refresh.

How postal voting works

Postal votes are sent to all registered postal voters in the two weeks before polling day. We cannot send postal votes out earlier than this, so we advise all postal voters to take into consideration their availability to vote before planning any holidays.

Your postal vote will contain your ballot paper(s) and a ‘Postal Voter’s Statement’, on which you will need to provide your date of birth and signature. These details are checked against those provided on your application form, so your postal vote will not be counted if they are missing or do not match.

Your postal vote must be completed and returned to us, in the first-class envelope provided, before 10:00pm on polling day. Any postal votes received after this time cannot be accepted.

Postal votes can be returned:

in the post
in person at the elections office
at a polling station (providing it is a polling station within Solihull borough)

There is a restriction on how many postal votes you can return in person, and you will be required to complete a form when you do so.

Once your postal vote has been received it will be processed and the personal identifiers checked, before the ballot paper is secured and taken to be included in the count. Your ‘Postal Voter’s Statement’ and ballot paper are handled separately to make your vote anonymous.

Although the postal votes are opened and checked, the ballot papers are handled face down until the start of count following the close of poll, so that it’s not possible to see how the votes have been cast.

You can apply to have a postal vote for:

one election day only
for a period of time (for example if you will be working away for a period of time)
for a period of up to 3 years

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