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How to vote in your AGM

Attendees at the 2023 National Trust AGM
Attendees at the 2023 National Trust AGM | © National Trust Images/Megan Taylor

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is your opportunity to have your say on our work. Find out how voting works using our short guide.

Check back for 2025 AGM voting information

The 2025 AGM will take place on 8 November 2025 in Swindon. Further information will be available when voting opens in September.

Vote in advance 

You’ll need to vote on our Council election in advance of the AGM, and you can choose to vote on the resolutions in advance too. Voting will open in early September.

Vote online

Have your say by voting online. From September, you’ll be able to visit the online voting platform and enter your membership details, which you can find on your membership card.

Vote by post

If you wish to vote or register your interest to attend the AGM by post, you’ll need to request a postal vote below. The deadline to make this request is 5pm on 10 October.

If you've previously contacted us to request a postal vote , you don't need to make this request again. We've saved your preferences and you'll receive the papers from early September.

Vote at the meeting

If you plan to attend the meeting in person or virtually, you can vote on the resolutions on the day via the CES Join-In platform. Information about using this platform will be available ahead of, and during the meeting for all registered attendees.

To vote in person, you'll need to bring a smartphone with you to join the secure voting platform. Handheld devices are no longer in use.

Only the resolutions are voted on at the meeting itself and you’ll still need to vote in the elections before the deadline either online or by post.

Attending the meeting

Members are welcome to join the meeting in person or online but you'll need to register to attend in advance, which will open from September.

There are a limited number of in-person spaces available, if you wish to attend in person, we recommend you register your interest as soon as possible.

If interest to attend in person exceeds venue capacity, places will be allocated by ballot and some members may be asked to join online, and will be able to ask questions on the resolutions and vote on the day.

Different types of vote

There are three different types of vote you can choose from to have your say.

  • Specified vote

This is where you specify how you want your vote to be cast by your proxy (the Chair of the AGM) and they act as your representative and vote as directed by you. You can do this by selecting 'for', 'against' or 'abstain' for the individual resolutions and by selecting your preferred election candidates.

  • Quick vote

To cast your vote in support of the Board of Trustees' position on all resolutions, and/or recommended election candidates/candidate bodies, you can use the quick vote option. Quick vote is a type of specified vote.

  • Discretionary vote

You can cast a discretionary vote for the resolutions, but not in the elections. This means you're directing the proxy (the Chair of the AGM) to vote on the resolutions as they see fit. You can do this by selecting the 'discretionary' box.

More about voting

You can find more details about voting in your AGM booklet, which will be online from early September. 

Hilary McGrady presenting at the 2024 Annual General Meeting in Newcastle upon Tyne

Annual General Meeting

Your 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place online and in person at 10am on Saturday 8 November 2025 at the STEAM Museum, Swindon. We'll share details on how to get involved from early September.

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Staff member talking with visitors in the Staircase Hall at Allan Bank, Cumbria

Get in touch 

If you have a query about the AGM, please email agm@nationaltrust.org.uk. To put forward a question for the meeting, please include your name and membership number in your email and keep your question within 50 words. For all other enquiries, please check out help centre.

Members of a panel discussion at the 2023 National Trust AGM
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Article

AGM procedures and reports 

The Annual General Meeting is convened in accordance with The Charities (National Trust) Order 2005. Find out more about what this means.

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PDF

The Charities (National Trust) Order 2005 

Find the full details about the rules of voting in clause 40 of The Charities (National Trust) Order 2005.