Title page
Contents
Summary 5
1. What is absent voting? 7
2. Applying for an absent vote 8
2.1. Postal votes 8
2.2. Proxy votes 9
2.3. Personal identifiers 10
2.4. Deadlines 11
2.5. Emergency proxies 13
3. How do postal votes work? 15
3.1. When are ballots sent out? 15
3.2. What does the voter need to do? 15
3.3. What happens when the postal vote is returned? 16
3.4. Are postal votes secret? 16
4. Elections Act 2022 18
4.1. Absent voting applications 18
4.2. Postal vote reapplication every three years 19
4.3. Proxy voting 20
4.4. Handling postal ballot packs 21
4.5. Secrecy of the vote 23
5. Postal and proxy voting data 24
5.1. Postal voting 24
5.2. Proxy voting 27
6. A brief history of absent voting 30
6.1. War time absent votes for service voters 30
6.2. Extension of absent votes to some non-service voters 31
6.3. Home Affairs Select Committee report 1982-83 31
6.4. Postal voting on demand 32
6.5. All-postal voting pilots 33
6.6. Anti-fraud measures 35
6.7. Pickles Report 36