Electoral Proxy: Voting by Proxy in 2026

Electoral proxy allows any voter registered on electoral lists 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 living abroad, this system guarantees the effective exercise of voting rights. Since 2022, the maProcuration.gouv.fr platform has significantly simplified the process by allowing online filing without prior need to visit a police station or gendarmerie. This guide explains in detail the rules applicable in 2026, the deadlines to respect, and the pitfalls to avoid.

What is electoral proxy and who can use it?

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

Conditions for granting proxy

For a valid proxy to be established, the mandator must:

• Be registered on the electoral lists of a French municipality;
• Justify an inability to vote in person (absence for professional reasons, state of health, disability situation, living abroad, training, vacations, etc.);
• Designate a mandatary who is themselves registered on the electoral lists of the same municipality since the 2019 reform (law no. 2019-1269 of December 2, 2019).

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

Who can be a mandatary?

Any adult French voter registered on electoral lists can be a mandatary. A single mandatary can hold two proxies simultaneously, only one of which can be established in France (the other may be established from 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 since 2022, maProcuration.gouv.fr is now the main and recommended way to file an electoral proxy request in France. In 2026, all national and local elections are covered by this platform.

Online filing: how does it work?

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

1. Connection with FranceConnect+: The mandator identifies themselves via FranceConnect+ (high security level, compatible with the tax office mobile app, Ameli, etc.). This strong authentication guarantees the voter's identity without physical presentation of documents.

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

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

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 during the 2022 legislative elections.

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

When visiting to validate the proxy, the mandator must present:

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

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

Deadlines to observe for electoral proxy in 2026

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

Request submission deadline

Generally speaking, the proxy must be submitted to the mandator's town hall no later than Friday before the election (i.e., J-2 if voting takes place on Sunday). This deadline accounts for the administrative processing time necessary to update polling station lists.

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

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 determined period up to 3 years (since the law of December 27, 2019), thus allowing coverage of several successive elections without repeated requests.

This multi-year option is particularly useful for expatriates, those in permanent professional mobility, or people suffering from chronic conditions limiting their ability to travel.

Revocation of a proxy

The mandator can revoke their proxy at any time, including on election day, by appearing in person at their polling station with their form of identification. In this case, the proxy is cancelled and the mandator votes themselves. Online revocation via maProcuration.gouv.fr is also possible before the deadline.

Special cases: French citizens abroad and overseas territories

French citizens living outside France

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

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

French citizens abroad were given special attention in law no. 2023-1380 of December 30, 2023 on the simplification of electoral procedures abroad, which extended the possibilities for digital voting in certain contexts.

Territories with early voting

New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Saint-Pierre-and-Miquelon, and the Antilles vote with a time difference requiring a specific schedule. Voters in these territories should refer to local prefectural decrees for the exact deadlines for filing 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.

Common problems and practical solutions

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

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

What happens if the mandatary forgets to vote?

The mandatary is not legally obliged to vote on behalf of the mandator. There is no penalty provided by the Electoral Code in case of the mandatary's abstention. The relationship is based on personal trust, hence the importance of choosing a reliable and available mandatary.

Is proxy compatible with electronic voting?

For elections allowing electronic voting (notably certain consular elections), a proxy cannot be exercised via online voting: the mandatary must physically go to the designated polling station or consulate. Electronic voting is strictly personal and not delegable.

In the broader context of dematerialization of official acts, qualified electronic signature plays an increasing 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 delegation of powers 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 specificities of the probative value of dematerialized acts.

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

Legal framework applicable to electoral proxy

Electoral proxy in France is part of 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 for mandator and mandatary (art. L.71);
• The limit of two proxies per mandatary (art. L.73);
• The procedures for collecting proxies by judicial police officers and authorized agents (art. L.72);
• Conditions for revocation (art. L.75).

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

Law no. 2019-1269 of December 2, 2019

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

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

This law on differentiation, decentralization, de-concentration 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 generalized rollout of maProcuration.gouv.fr.

Digital authentication and FranceConnect+

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

Data protection

The collection of mandator and mandatary 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 retained for the duration necessary to process proxies, then archived in accordance with legal obligations to preserve 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 euros any person who obtains a proxy by using forgery or diverting a proxy for fraudulent purposes. Attempts are punished with the same penalties.

Usage scenarios: electoral proxy in different contexts

Scenario 1 — An employee on frequent business trips

A business manager making professional trips throughout Europe about 15 days per month uses maProcuration.gouv.fr to establish a 3-year proxy in favor of their spouse, registered in the same municipality. The online process took him less than 10 minutes, followed by a 5-minute visit to the local gendarmerie upon his return on the weekend. Over 4 elections held during 2024-2026, he was thus able to exercise his voting right 100% of the time without ever changing his professional travel, compared to 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 hospitalized or mobility-impaired voter

A person hospitalized for scheduled surgery who cannot travel on election day requests, via a family caregiver, the deployment of a judicial police officer to their bedside. Thanks to article L.72 of the Electoral Code, the officer deploys with the necessary equipment to collect the proxy on site. The proxy is transmitted the same day to the relevant town hall. This scenario, which represents approximately 8 to 10% of proxies established according to Ministry of the Interior statistics, underscores the importance of contacting the gendarmerie or police station at least 5 days before the election to arrange the visit.

Scenario 3 — A community of expatriates in a consular zone

A gathering of approximately 200 French nationals living in the same consular zone of a Southeast Asian country collectively organize 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 deadlines (70%), compared to an average consular participation rate of 35-40% observed in previous elections according to reports from the Directorate of French Abroad (DFE). This 30-point participation gain illustrates the impact of raising awareness of digital tools on the exercise of voting rights abroad.

Conclusion

Electoral proxy is an essential mechanism for guaranteeing 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 filing and FranceConnect+ authentication. Key points to remember: designate a mandatary registered in your municipality, respect the filing deadline (no later than J-2 of the election), and plan ahead to avoid periods of high volume. The ability to establish a proxy valid for up to 3 years also simplifies management over several successive elections.

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