Harrogate Borough Council

 
 

Service Provided by

The Electoral Registration Office

Contact Us

01423 556008 or 556011 (9am - 5pm)

Council Offices
Crescent Gardens
Harrogate
North Yorkshire
HG1 2SG

How to Vote

Voting in Person

Before an election you will receive a polling card through the post. On election day, you can (but don't have to) take the card along to your local polling station, which will be detailed on the polling card.

Staff will mark your name off a list (electoral register) and give you a ballot paper(s) printed with a security mark.

You then enter a booth, where you put an 'X' in the box next to the person or party (some elections allow you to make several choices, this will be shown on the ballot paper) you want to vote for.

Fold the ballot paper in half and put it in the ballot box.

Postal Voting

To vote by post you need to complete a Postal Voting Form (PDF 10k).

This involves:

  • Downloading the form
  • Printing it out
  • Filling it in
  • Returning it to the Electoral Registration Office, Harrogate Borough Council, FREEPOST NEA8951, Council Offices, Crescent Gardens, Harrogate, HG1 2UG no later than 5pm, 11 working days before an election
  • The postal voting Ballot Paper will then be sent to you between 7 and 8 working days before an election, for you to complete and return

For more information on Postal Voting see our Guide to Postal Voting. 

Vote by Proxy

Proxy voting is where another person goes to the polling station to vote on your behalf.

Can I apply for a proxy vote?
 
To apply for a proxy vote you must be on the electoral register.  You can apply for a One-Off or Indefinite Proxy vote. 
 
When applying for a One-Off Proxy vote you have to provide a reason, for example, you are away on holiday or you are in hospital.  If you want a proxy vote for an indefinite period, you must have one of the following reasons.
  • You are away from home due to your job
  • You have to travel by air or sea to get to your polling station
For indefinite proxy applications, except if you are registered blind, someone has to certify on your application that the reason is valid, for example, your employer or doctor.

You need to complete either a One-off Proxy Vote Form (PDF 15k) which lasts for one election, or an Indefinite Proxy Vote Form (PDF 15k), which lasts until further notice (or some other longer time).

This involves:

  • Downloading the One-off or Indefinite proxy vote form.
  • Printing it out
  • Filling it in
  • Returning it to the Electoral Registration Office, Harrogate Borough Council, FREEPOST NEA8951, Council Offices, Crescent Gardens, Harrogate, HG1 2UG no later than 5pm, 6 working days before an election 
  • A Proxy voting letter will be sent to your proxy before the election with details of the Polling station they need to attend.
Voting Problems

If you have any problems with voting, please contact us by:

E-mail: elect@harrogate.gov.uk

Phone: 01423 556008 or 556011 (9am to 5pm)

Electoral Registration Office
Council Offices
Crescent Gardens
Harrogate
North Yorkshire
HG1 2SG

 

Harrogate Borough Council, Council Offices, Crescent Gardens, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 2SG, Tel: (01423) 500600