Somerset residents planning to cast their vote in the General Election on 4 July by post, have until 5pm on 19 June to submit their applications. The deadline for proxy vote applications is 26 June.

You can apply for a postal vote if you’re away on holiday or because your work schedule means you can’t get to the polling station. You can also choose to vote by post simply because it would be more convenient for you.

A  proxy is someone you trust who goes to your polling station and votes on your behalf. The proxy must be 18 or over and must be registered to vote and eligible to vote at parliamentary elections in the UK. You can apply for a proxy vote online at www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote or you can request a paper form to be posted or emailed to you. Completed applications, whether online or paper, must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm Wednesday 26 June.

You will be sent a postal vote ballot pack before the election. Voters applying to vote by post will also need to prove their identity. Full details and application forms are available on the Government’s website Please contact Electoral Services on 0300 123 2224 at Somerset Council if you need a paper form.

Residents need to be aware that the way postal votes are received at Somerset Council offices has changed in line with national legislation.

New laws mean that when someone hands in a postal vote at a reception point or at a polling station, a Postal Vote Return form must now also be completed. This could be time-consuming.

So, voters are being encouraged to use Royal Mail and post their vote in good time for it to be counted.

Postal votes receive a speedy service from Royal Mail and are easily identified by the purple flashes marked on the envelopes. They are delivered up to 9.30pm on polling day which is why Royal Mail should be the preferred method of returning them.

Voters can check their nearest post box and collection times via www.royalmail.com/services-near-you#/

Postal votes can still be handed in and the relevant forms completed during office hours only at these four locations in Somerset:

• Bridgwater House, Bridgwater
• Shape Office, Shepton Mallet
• West Somerset House, Williton
• Petters House, Petters Way, Yeovil

Voters need to know that any postal votes left at offices or put in office post boxes must be rejected.

Key dates:

• 18 June – deadline for voter registration
• 19 June – deadline for postal vote and postal proxy vote applications
• 26 June – deadline to apply for free Voter Authority Certificate
• 26 June – deadline for proxy vote submissions
• 4 July – polling day 7am-10pm
• 4-5 July – counting and declarations