Thursday 7 May 2015

Polling Day Do's and Don'ts.....

The process of voting in a UK polling station hasn't changed much in years.

Most people are familiar with what goes on inside a polling station. You march in, you give your name and address, someone finds you on a list and gives you a ballot paper. You then head off to a booth to use your stubby pencil to mark your X....


 Do make sure your vote is clear You don't have to put a cross in the box, you can put a tick instead, but you have to make sure your vote is clear- think of the people who have to count the votes late at night and make it easy for them.

Don't write messages on your ballot paper or sign it with your name. Anything other than a simple mark beside the candidate you wish to vote for is normally discarded when it comes to the count.

You can take your kids or your pets! Both are permitted in certain polling stations so long as they do not interfere with people casting their votes (or attempt to vote themselves)...

Don't discuss who you are voting for inside the polling station. It is viewed as potentially intimidating to other people casting their votes.

You can vote even if you have lost your polling card or have not received one. If you are registered to vote just stating your name and address should allow you to enter the polling station. 

Don't take a selfie around the polling booth. There is currently no law specifically which bans selfies, but photographs inside a polling station could interfere with maintaining the secrecy of the ballot.

Do tell someone if you have marked a cross next to the wrong candidate by mistake. So long as your paper has not been cast in the box, if you alert a member of staff they will replace it for you.  

Don't wear political clothing. Anyone wearing clothes in obvious support of one of the political parties contesting in the election will not be permitted in the polling station. Same goes for those wearing rosettes. 

Don't leave voting until the last minute. Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm. At the last General Election in 2010, thousands of people across the country were left queuing at 10pm.

1 comment :

  1. It's amazed me this year how many people don't know how to vote, my Facebook timeline is full of questions! Great post. Although on the last one, I think they brought in a rule that if you were in the queue at 10pm you could still vote. Just as well after the fiasco last time!

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