There may be situations where you are absolutely unable to cast your own vote. For example because you are ill or on holiday. Then you can ask another voter to cast your vote for you. This is called proxy voting.
Important note: You yourself must ask another voter to cast your vote for you. So, others can't ask you if they can cast your vote for you. And you can't ask others if you can cast their vote for them. That is a criminal offence.
Two ways to arrange proxy voting
There are two ways to ask someone to cast your vote for you:
You can give another voter permission to cast your vote for you if you are unable to vote yourself. For example if you are ill on the day of the election.
- You can do so on the back of the voting pass.
- You choose who gets your permission.
Who can you authorise with a private proxy?
You can only give permission on the back of your voting pass to another voter who:
- can vote themselves (is entitled to vote);
- casts your vote for you at the same time as casting their own vote;
- lives in the same municipality as you.
This is how it works:
- Fill out the back of your voting pass together with the other voter.
- Tell the other voter for which party and candidate you want to vote.
- Give your filled-out voting pass to the other voter who will be casting your vote for you. That voter must cast your vote at the same time as casting their own vote.
- Give them a copy of your identity document. A clear picture of your identity document from a telephone or tablet is also allowed.
At the polling station, the other voter must show:
- your filled-out voting pass;
- the copy or picture of your identity document;
- their own identity document and voting pass.
Important note: a person can't vote on behalf of more than 2 other persons.
You can also use a form to ask someone else to cast your vote for you. This is called a written proxy.
When do you use the form?
- If you are not in your municipality on the day of the election. For example because you are abroad on holiday or for work.
- If you can't give the voter who will be casting your vote for you a copy of your identity document. For example because your identity document is too old or because you have lost your identity document.
Who can you authorise with a written proxy?
You can only give permission to another voter who:
- can vote themselves (is entitled to vote);
- casts your vote for you at the same time as casting their own vote.
This is how it works:
- Get the 'written proxy' form from the municipality or download the 'written proxy' form (in Dutch).
- Fill out the form together with the other voter who will be casting your vote for you.
- Hand in the form with the municipality. After that, the other voter will receive a written proxy certificate in their post from the municipality.
- The other voter must bring that certificate to the polling station. That voter must cast the proxy vote at the same time as casting their own vote.
- You do not need to give them a copy or picture of your identity document.
- Tell the other voter for which party and candidate you want to vote.
Rules if you cast a vote for someone else
If you cast a vote on behalf of another voter, the following rules apply:
- The voter must ask you themselves. So, you can't offer casting votes for other voters. That is a criminal offence.
- You can vote on behalf of no more than 2 other voters.
- You must cast the vote for the other voter at the same time as casting your own vote. For that reason, you and the other voter must live in the same municipality.
- The voter themselves must tell you for which party and candidate you must cast the vote for that voter.
Important note: buying proxies is a criminal offence.
- Asking voters to sign their voting pass and give it to you is a criminal offence.
- Forcing or bribing someone to give you a proxy is a criminal offence as well.
- What if you think that someone is doing this? Then report it to the police.