Can you vote by proxy in French presidential elections?
We look at the steps to take if you wish someone else to go to vote on your behalf
There are several steps to registering to vote by proxy in France
Radu Razvan / Shutterstock
Reader question: Can I vote by proxy in France? I read your article about people who are positive with Covid being able to go and vote and, due to being in poor health, prefer to have someone else go vote for me. Is this allowed?
Yes, you can vote by proxy (vote par procuration) in France, and you can technically register to do this right up until one day before the election (meaning this Saturday, April 9).
However, if you leave it until the last minute there is a chance your application will not be accepted in time.
Only French nationals can vote in presidential elections.
How do I register?
Online
Step 1: Go to www.maprocuration.gouv.fr/ and sign in using FranceConnect (you must have a social security number in France for this)
Step 2: State your demand to vote by proxy. You will then receive a letter/email titled “votre demande de procuration”.
Step 3: You must take this form to your local police or gendarmerie station, or to your nearest consulate if you live abroad, and get your ID verified. This step cannot be skipped, and there is no alternative but to go in person to one of these places.
Step 4: Once your ID has been verified, you will receive an email or letter titled “votre procuration a été validée”, meaning you have successfully registered. You can then inform the person who will vote for you.
Paper format
If you do not want to use the proxy vote website, you can either print this form off online and take it to the police station or consulate to have your identity verified, or you can go straight to the station/consulate and they should have this form available for you.
The next steps are the same as the online process.
Who can vote on my behalf?
Any adult who is a French citizen and is on the electoral roll.
Since January 1 this year, your chosen proxy does not have to be registered in the same commune as you. However, they do still have to go to the commune where you are registered to cast the vote for you.
A person can only be the proxy of a maximum of one person living in France.
They can, however, act as a proxy for two people not living in France.
It means they can be a proxy for either:
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