Electoral Proxy: How to Vote by Proxy in 2026

Electoral proxy allows any registered voter on electoral rolls to entrust their vote to a trusted person when they are unable to vote in person on election day. Whether for professional reasons, medical reasons, reduced mobility or residence abroad, this mechanism guarantees the effective exercise of voting rights. Since 2022, the maProcuration.gouv.fr platform has greatly simplified the process by allowing online declaration without prior need to visit a police station or gendarmerie. This guide explains in detail the rules applicable in 2026, the deadlines to observe and pitfalls to avoid.

What is electoral proxy and who can use it?

Electoral proxy is a legal act by which a voter — the principal — authorises another voter — the agent — to vote on their behalf in one or more specified elections. This mechanism is governed by articles L.71 to L.78 of the French Electoral Code.

Conditions for granting proxy

To establish a valid proxy, the principal must:

• Be registered on the electoral rolls of a French municipality;
• Justify an inability to vote in person (absence for professional reasons, health condition, disability situation, residence abroad, training, holidays, etc.);
• Designate an agent who is themselves registered on the electoral rolls of the same municipality since the 2019 reform (Law No. 2019-1269 of 2 December 2019).

Since this reform, the agent is no longer required to be registered in the same polling station, only in the same municipality. This is a significant step forward that has made it easier for millions of voters to use proxy voting.

Who can be an agent?

Any adult French voter registered on the electoral rolls can be an agent. A single agent can hold two proxies simultaneously, only one of which is established in France (the other may be established abroad). This limit is set by article L.73 of the Electoral Code.

The maProcuration.gouv.fr service: how it works and steps in 2026

Launched experimentally in 2021 and rolled out generally since 2022, the maProcuration.gouv.fr service is now the main and recommended channel for submitting an electoral proxy request in France. In 2026, all national and local elections are covered by this platform.

Online declaration: how does it work?

Online declaration via maProcuration.gouv.fr takes place in three main steps:

1. Authentication with FranceConnect+: The principal identifies themselves via FranceConnect+ (high security level, compatible with the mobile tax application, Ameli, etc.). This strong authentication guarantees the identity of the voter without physical presentation of documents.

1. Information entry: The principal provides their details, the municipality of registration, the election(s) concerned and information about their agent (surname, first name, date of birth, municipality of registration).

1. Validation at town hall or police station: After online submission, the principal receives a request code which they present to a judicial police officer or authorised employee at an equipped town hall. This physical visit takes less than 5 minutes — it is no longer necessary to fill in a paper form on the spot.

This procedure has reduced average processing time from 45 minutes to approximately 5-10 minutes according to feedback collected by the Ministry of the Interior following the 2022 legislative elections.

Visit to police station, gendarmerie or town hall: what must you bring?

During the physical visit to validate the proxy, the principal must present:

• A valid identity document (national identity card, passport);
• Their maProcuration request code (received by email or SMS);
• No paper form is required if the process was initiated online.

If the principal absolutely cannot visit (hospitalisation, severe disability), they can request the visit of a judicial police officer to their home or place of care, in accordance with article L.72 of the Electoral Code.

Deadlines to observe for electoral proxy in 2026

Observing deadlines is crucial: a proxy established too late may not be taken into account by electoral services.

Request submission deadline

As a general rule, the proxy must be submitted to the town hall of the principal no later than the Friday before the election (i.e. D-2 if voting takes place on Sunday). This deadline accounts for the administrative processing time necessary to update the electoral rolls.

For the 2026 elections (partial municipal elections, local referendums or possible national elections), it is strongly recommended to initiate the process at least 15 days in advance to avoid any risk related to extended processing times during periods of high demand.

Validity period of a proxy

A proxy can be established:

• For a single election (valid only for the first or second round specified, or for both);
• For a specified period of up to 3 years (since the law of 27 December 2019), allowing coverage of several successive elections without repeated procedure.

This multi-year option is particularly useful for expatriate persons, those with permanent professional mobility or those suffering from chronic conditions limiting their travel.

Revocation of a proxy

The principal can revoke their proxy at any time, including on election day, by presenting themselves directly at their polling station with their identity document. In this case, the proxy is cancelled and the principal votes themselves. Online revocation via maProcuration.gouv.fr is also possible before the closing date.

Special cases: French citizens abroad and overseas territories

French citizens established outside France

French citizens registered in consulates and embassies can grant proxy to a voter registered in the same consular constituency. The process can be carried out:

• Online via maProcuration.gouv.fr if the voter has access to FranceConnect+;
• Directly with the competent embassy or consulate, which has officials authorised to collect proxies.

French citizens abroad have received particular attention in Law No. 2023-1380 of 30 December 2023 relating to the simplification of electoral procedures abroad, which has extended the possibilities of dematerialised voting in certain contexts.

Territories with early voting

New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and the West Indies vote with a time difference requiring a specific schedule. Voters in these territories should refer to local prefectural orders for the exact deadlines for submitting proxies.

For more information on the legal forms of mandate and associated document management tools, consult our comprehensive guide on proxy and mandate, which also covers notarial and commercial proxies.

Frequent problems and practical solutions

My agent is not registered in my municipality: what should I do?

Since the 2019 law, the agent must be registered in the same municipality (no longer the same polling station). If your agent lives in a different municipality, you will need to find a local agent or change their registration on the electoral rolls before the deadline (31 December of the year preceding the election as a general rule).

What happens if the agent forgets to vote?

The agent is not subject to any legal obligation to vote on behalf of the principal. There is no penalty provided by the Electoral Code in case the agent abstains. The relationship is based on personal trust, hence the importance of choosing a reliable and available agent.

Is proxy voting compatible with electronic voting?

For elections allowing electronic voting (particularly certain consular elections), a proxy cannot be exercised via online voting: the agent must physically attend the polling station or designated consulate. Electronic voting is strictly personal and non-delegable.

In the broader context of dematerialisation of official acts, qualified electronic signature plays an increasingly important role in securing professional mandates and proxies. To understand the different levels of digital signature, our comprehensive guide to electronic signature is a useful reference — particularly for companies managing delegations of authority or corporate mandates.

Legal professionals dealing with notarial proxies or signature delegations will also find practical information on our page dedicated to electronic signature for law firms, which addresses the specifics of probative value of dematerialised acts.

Finally, for companies wishing to automate the management of their internal mandates or signature delegations, the electronic signature ROI calculator allows estimation of productivity gains achievable compared to traditional paper processes.

Legal framework applicable to electoral proxy

Electoral proxy in France falls within a precise legislative framework, whose understanding is essential to avoid any nullity of the process.

Electoral Code: the foundational texts

Articles L.71 to L.78 of the Electoral Code form the legal basis of electoral proxy. They define:

• The eligibility conditions of the principal and agent (art. L.71);
• The limit of two proxies per agent (art. L.73);
• The procedures for collecting proxy by judicial police officers and authorised agents (art. L.72);
• Revocation conditions (art. L.75).

Articles R.72 to R.80 of the Electoral Code (regulatory part) specify the forms, transmission deadlines to town halls and procedures for keeping proxies.

Law No. 2019-1269 of 2 December 2019

This law removed the requirement for the agent to be registered in the same polling station as the principal, requiring only the same municipality. It also extended the acceptable grounds for granting proxy, making them non-exhaustive: any voter can now grant proxy without having to justify a particular reason since Law No. 2022-217 of 21 February 2022 (known as the 3DS law), which removed the requirement for justification.

Law No. 2022-217 of 21 February 2022 (3DS law)

This law relating to differentiation, decentralisation, deconcentration and simplification removed the obligation to justify a reason for establishing an electoral proxy. Since 2022, any voter can freely delegate their vote without providing supporting documents. This major simplification was accompanied by the generalised rollout of maProcuration.gouv.fr.

Digital authentication and FranceConnect+

The use of FranceConnect+ for online declaration is based on eIDAS Regulation No. 910/2014 of the European Parliament and Council, which establishes the levels of assurance of electronic identification means (substantial and high). FranceConnect+ corresponds to the high level (« high »), guaranteeing strong authentication in line with European digital identity requirements.

Data protection

The collection of principal and agent data via maProcuration.gouv.fr is subject to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) No. 2016/679. The Ministry of the Interior acts as data controller. Data is kept for the duration necessary for processing proxies, then archived in accordance with legal obligations regarding conservation of electoral archives (5 years after the election according to CNIL guidelines).

Penalties for fraud

Article L.113 of the Electoral Code punishes with two years imprisonment and a fine of €15,000 any person who obtains a proxy by making use of false documents or misappropriating a proxy for fraudulent purposes. Attempt is punished with the same penalties.

Usage scenarios: electoral proxy in different contexts

Scenario 1 — An employee on frequent business travel

An executive in sales carrying out business trips throughout Europe approximately 15 days per month uses maProcuration.gouv.fr to establish a proxy valid for 3 years for the benefit of their spouse, registered in the same municipality. The online process took them less than 10 minutes, followed by a 5-minute visit to the local gendarmerie on their weekend return. Over 4 elections organised over the 2024-2026 period, they were able to exercise their voting rights 100% of the time without ever changing their professional travel, against an estimated abstention rate of 60-70% for voters in situations of intense professional mobility according to post-election analyses by DILA.

Scenario 2 — A hospitalised voter or one with reduced mobility

A person hospitalised for a scheduled procedure unable to travel on election day requests, via a close caregiver, the visit of a judicial police officer to their bedside. Thanks to article L.72 of the Electoral Code, the officer visits with the necessary equipment to collect the proxy on the spot. The proxy is transmitted the same day to the municipality concerned. This scenario, which accounts for approximately 8 to 10% of proxies established according to Ministry of the Interior statistics, highlights the importance of contacting the gendarmerie or police station at least 5 days before the election to organise the visit.

Scenario 3 — A community of expatriates in a consular zone

A group of approximately 200 French nationals residing in the same consular zone of a South-East Asian country collectively organise their proxies during legislative elections. A local consular association informs its members of deadlines and procedures via maProcuration.gouv.fr. Of the 200 people concerned, 140 manage to establish their proxy within the deadlines (i.e. 70%), against an average consular participation rate of 35-40% observed during previous elections according to reports from the Directorate of French Nationals Abroad (DFE). This 30-point participation gain illustrates the impact of awareness of digital tools on the exercise of voting rights abroad.

Conclusion

Electoral proxy is an essential mechanism to guarantee the exercise of voting rights to all citizens, regardless of their situation. In 2026, the maProcuration.gouv.fr platform makes the process faster and more accessible than ever thanks to online declaration and FranceConnect+ authentication. The key points to remember: designate an agent registered in your municipality, observe the submission deadline (no later than D-2 of the election), and plan ahead to avoid periods of high demand. The possibility of establishing a proxy valid for up to 3 years also simplifies management over several successive elections.

This logic of secure and dematerialised delegation is found in many professional acts. To secure your mandates, delegations of authority and corporate proxies with eIDAS-compliant tools, discover Certyneo solutions or create your free account.