Contested election information
The information below applies to both elections, should they be contested.
Electors who are 18 years of age or over on Thursday 4 December 2025 and are registered to vote within the relevant parish area will be entitled to vote.
Residents who are not registered to vote, have until 11:59pm on Tuesday 18 November 2025 to make an application to register to vote.
Requirement to show photographic ID in polling stations
Electors voting in the polling station are required to show an accepted form of photographic ID before being issued with a ballot paper. If you do not have any of the acceptable photographic ID, you can apply for a free election ID, known as a Voter Authority Certificate. For more information, visit our Voter ID page.
The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate in time for these elections is 5pm on Wednesday 26 November 2025.
Voting by post
If you are unable to attend the polling station, you can apply to vote by post. If you are not already a postal voter, we must receive your application by 5pm on Wednesday 19 November 2025.
For more information visit out vote by post page.
If you are an existing postal voter and the election is contested, your postal vote will be despatched Royal Mail First Class around Tuesday 18 November 2025.
Voting by proxy
If you are unable to attend the polling station, you can apply to nominate somebody you trust to go to your polling station to vote on your behalf. This person is known as your proxy.
Your proxy will need to show their own acceptable photo ID when voting on your behalf. You will still be able to vote in person at your polling station if your proxy has not already voted for you.
Your proxy can apply to vote on your behalf by post. If they have a postal vote for your vote, you will not be able to vote in the polling station.
There are new limits to how many people an elector can act as a proxy for. At the same election, someone can only be a proxy for two people based in the UK. If they are acting as proxy for people living overseas, they can act as proxy for up to four people but only two of these can be based in the UK.
The deadline for us to receive applications to vote by proxy is 5pm on Wednesday 26 November 2025.
For more information visit out visit our vote by proxy page.
