How to vote

How To Vote

To be eligible to vote you have to be –

18 or over
a British Citizen or a Citizen of another Commonwealth country or the Republic of Ireland
citizens of European Union countries
and included on the Register of Electors

If your name is on the electoral register and you are aged 18 or over, you should receive a poll card approximately two weeks before an election. The poll card will tell you where to vote and the times that the polling station will be open. Polling stations are open from 7.00 am to 10.00 pm.

How can I vote?

You can choose whether you prefer to vote at a polling station or by post. In addition, if you meet certain legal requirements, you can apply for a proxy vote. Before you vote you will need to be registered on the Register of Electors. Registering enables you to vote and may assist in obtaining credit or for mortgage checks.

Voting at a polling station

The traditional way to vote in the United Kingdom is to attend your local polling station and vote in person.

Voting by post

To arrange a postal vote you must be on the Register of Electors and apply in time for the election
You can chose to vote by post, if you cannot or do not wish to attend your polling station. You do not have to give any reason for asking for a postal vote.
You will need to complete a form to apply for a postal vote. Please complete the Postal vote application form linked on the right, sign it and send it back to us either by post or fax. Contact details can be found on the main Elections page.
Applications can be made for a single election, for a specified period or indefinitely.
A postal vote can be sent to your home address or any other address specified by you.
Postal votes can be sent overseas, but you need to consider whether there would be time for you to receive and return your ballot paper by polling day.
Postal votes are usually despatched about a week before polling day.
If you have been sent a postal vote, you cannot vote in person at a polling station.
Postal votes need to be posted back to the council offices.
Postal votes have to be received at the council or polling station by the close of poll on polling day.

Voting by post - new regulations

New regulations have been introduced to make postal voting at all future elections more secure. Electoral Registration Officers must obtain the following personal identifiers from all existing and new postal voters.

Signature
Date of Birth

These personal identifiers will be stored by the District Council. They may be compared against the signature and date of birth that will be required on a security statement with future postal votes.

The new regulations have also created two election offences to provide stronger deterrents against electoral fraud. It is now an offence to supply false information or fail to supply information to the Electoral Registration Officer at any time, and to falsely apply for a postal vote.

Can I still go to the polling station if I have been sent a postal vote?

You can drop off your completed postal ballot paper at a polling station in your constituency. You cannot get a ballot paper from the polling station.

What do I have to do to get a postal vote?

You must complete an application form. Contact the Electoral Registrations Office or download the website from

What happens when I get a postal vote?

You will receive the following in the post: a ballot paper (or two ballot papers if there are local elections in your area); two return envelopes and a sheet headed 'declaration of identity'. You will also receive instructions on what to do - read these carefully.

What if I change my mind?

If you have applied in advance, or always have a postal vote, you can still choose to vote at the polling station instead. If you want to cancel, amend or change the address on an existing postal vote you must contact your local council. There is a cut off date for such cancellations and notifications of change.

Where should I have it sent?

You should have the postal ballot sent to an address where you will be to receive it - don't have it sent to an address you will not be at.

Voting by proxy

To arrange a postal vote you must be on the Register of Electors and apply in time for the election
This means appointing someone to vote for you in your polling station.
You need to tell your proxy which candidate(s) you wish to vote for.
You can apply to appoint a proxy who would vote at your polling station on your behalf. If you choose to vote by proxy at a particular election you are required to give a reason, e.g. illness, disability, employment, attendance on a course etc. If you choose to vote by proxy for all elections you will also need to give a reason and get someone to support your application.
You will need to complete a form to apply for a proxy vote. Please complete the Proxy vote application form linked on the right, sign it and send it back to us either by post or fax. Detailed on the main Elections page.
If you change your mind and wish to vote in person, you can still do so, providing that your proxy has not already voted on your behalf.
If your proxy cannot get to your polling station, they can apply to vote by post. However, you will not then be able to vote in person.