Yes, legislation has changed, which means that you now need to take one
of the accepted forms of ID in order to vote at the polling station. If
you do not have a valid form of ID you can apply for a
Voter Authority Certificate
.
If you cannot get to the polling station, you can apply for a postal or
proxy vote, subject to submitting an application before the statutory deadlines.
If this has passed it may be possible, in certain circumstances, to apply
for an emergency proxy vote.
Unfortunately not, each address is designated a Polling District with
a corresponding polling station, where the register is held and therefore
where a person needs to go to vote.
To vote in elections and referendums you have to be 18 or over. You must
also be a British, British Overseas Territory, Irish or Commonwealth citizen.
European Union citizens can also vote in certain elections. Your name must
also be on the Electoral Register, otherwise even if you meet the above
criteria you will not be able to vote.
In the lead up to an election, the details of the candidates will be shown
on the Notice of Poll, which will be displayed on the specific election
page on the website. Information regarding the candidates is the responsibility
of the individuals or parties concerned, so if you have not heard anything
you would need to contact them. Electoral Services do not have any information
on the candidates.
Unfortunately Electoral Services cannot provide this for you. You may
wish to contact the candidates or parties concerned and see if they can
help you.
Voting in the UK is not compulsory, so whether you vote or not is your
choice, it just means that you haven't used your opportunity to have your
say and get your voice heard.
When you go to the station the staff will ask for your name and address
(even if you take your poll card) so they can check that you are on the
Electoral Register. They will ask to see one of the accepted forms of ID
and will check it.
Once this has been done your electoral number is recorded on a Corresponding
Numbers List (CNL) and you will be given your ballot paper(s). The ballot
paper will tell you how many choices you can make. Take your ballot paper(s)
into a polling booth so that no one can see how you vote. You will need
to put a cross (X) in the box next to the option you wish to support. Do
not make any other mark on the ballot paper or your vote may not be counted.
Once you have voted please fold your ballot paper and place it in the ballot
box. In some instances you will be asked not to fold your ballot paper.
You don’t have to tell anyone how you voted. If there is more than
one election taking place at the same time you may have more than one ballot
paper to complete and these may go in separate ballot boxes.
Please pay close attention to what the staff tell you and please ask if
you need any help.
It is a legal requirement that poll numbers are written on the Corresponding
Numbers List (CNL). The procedure exists to detect and prove any possible
abuses or fraud. At the end of the poll, the list is sealed in a packet,
which is not opened at the count, but stored securely. At the end of the
count the counted ballot papers are sealed and stored securely and separately.
These sealed packets can only be opened by an Order from the High Court
or County Court provided that the court is satisfied that an Order is needed
to help prosecute for an election offence. The procedure is there to protect
the integrity of the democratic process and not to undermine it. Your vote
is, therefore, secret.
Pencils are used partly for historic reasons and partly practical reasons,
as they are sustainable and more reliable. However, there is no legal requirement
to use a pencil and you are welcome to use your own pen to cast your vote.
If you make a mistake on your ballot paper please do not put your ballot
paper in the ballot box, but speak to a member of staff and they will be
able to help you.
These people are called tellers and they are used by each of the candidates/participants
to help with their campaigns. Tellers have no standing in electoral law
and are not connected to the official election process. They may ask for
your elector number on the way in or out of the polling station, but you
do not have to give it to them if you do not want to.
