Voting in person at a polling station

Election day is Thursday 2 May 2024

You will receive your poll card in the post around 2 weeks before election day. You don’t have to take your poll card with you and can still vote if you forget your card.

Go to the polling station on your poll card

It’s usually a public building like a school or village hall, but can be in all kinds of places, even pubs! You can’t go to a different one, for example, near where you work.

Polling stations open at 7am and close at 10pm

You can vote at any time within these times. Signs are placed outside and inside to show you where to go.

Polling station staff are there to help you

Usually there’s 1 person in charge, called the Presiding Officer, and a couple of other people called Poll Clerks.

Staff at the polling station must confirm who you are

Tell the staff your name and address so they can check that you are on the electoral register and eligible to vote. They will then ask for you photo ID which they will also check against the details on the register. Which forms of photo ID can you use to vote?

You will be given your ballot papers

Depending on where you live you will receive at least 2 ballot papers. One for the PFCC election and the other for the district council election. You may also get a third ballot paper for your parish or town council election.

Time to vote

You will be directed to a polling booth to cast your vote in secret. Read the ballot paper carefully and follow the instructions. On each ballot paper it will tell you how many votes you can make. If it’s busy, you may have to wait for a free booth.

Clearly mark your ballot paper with an X next to the candidate you are voting for

Either use the pencils provided in the polling booth to mark your ballot paper, or use your own pen or pencil if you prefer. Don’t write anything else on the paper or your vote may not be counted. If you make a mistake, hand the ballot paper back to the polling station staff and they can give you a new ballot paper.

When you’ve filled in your ballot paper, fold it in half and put it into the ballot box

It will be clearly labelled and obviously placed, but if you are not sure just check with a member of staff.

Your vote is yours and yours alone

Political discussion is not allowed inside and immediately around the polling station. You do not have to tell anyone how you voted.

Tellers may ask you for the number on your poll card

They volunteer for candidates or parties and will be outside the polling station. They use the information to check who has voted, and to remind people who haven’t voted, to do so. You don’t have to give them any information if you don’t want to.

Don’t take photos inside the polling station

Please take photos outside the polling station and share them on social media. Use them to encourage your friends and family to vote.

If you have a disability and can’t fill in the ballot paper yourself

You can ask the Presiding Officer to mark the ballot paper for you. Or you can take someone you trust, like a parent or a friend, who is over 18, to help you vote.

Only those registered to vote at that polling station will be able to go inside

You must not take another adult into the polling booth with you, unless you have a disability, in which case you can take someone in to help you. Children are welcome at polling stations and allowed in the polling booth, but they must not mark the ballot paper for you.

With the exception of assistance dogs, animals are not allowed inside polling stations.

If you need help

If you’re not sure what to do, or need any help, just ask the staff at the polling station.