Going to the Polls: A Simplified Guide to Polling Day
© Neurodiverse Connection 2024 All Right Reserved
El Dewar (NdC Resources Lead)
Charli Clement (NdC Associate)
Summary
In the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Thursday the 4th of July there will be a general election. The people will vote to decide who they want to run the country and form a government. In order to vote people across Great Britain and Northern Ireland will go to polling stations to give their vote. This guide explains how to go to a polling station and what to expect. There is also a frequently asked questions section.
You will be voting for the candidate you want to become your local Member of Parliament (MP), not directly for the leader of the country. The party who has the most MPs will form the government, but if your winning candidate is not from that party, they will still be part of the UK Parliament.
Where and when do I go to vote?
Polling stations are open for the General Election from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 4th July 2024.
A polling station is normally a building like a school, village hall, or church, but they can also be in other places.
Everyone who is registered to vote is assigned a polling station in their area. You should receive a polling card which tells you which station to go to. You do not have to take the card with you to vote.
You cannot go to a different polling station. If you have lost your polling card or did not receive it, you can find your polling station via most city council websites or on the Electoral Commission website using your postcode.
If you are still in the line at your polling station at 10pm, you are still allowed to place your vote.
Voter ID when voting at a polling station
Photo ID is required to vote in person at most elections in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, including the general election. Your ID can be out of date as long as it still looks like you.
There are lots of different types of photo ID that can be used to vote. This is not a full list, but this can include:
● A UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving license (full or provisional)
● A driving license issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Isle of Man or any of the Channel Islands
● A UK passport
● A passport issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or a Commonwealth country
● A PASS card (National Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
● A Blue Badge
● A Northern Ireland Electoral Identity Card
● A Voter Authority Certificate
● An Anonymous Elector’s Document
Some travel passes like bus passes can be used as ID, but not all of them.
The full list of accepted IDs can be found on the government website, here.
If you do not have a form of Voter ID for this election, you will not be able to vote unless you are voting by proxy or postal vote.
You can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate for future elections (the deadline for applying for this is generally a week before the election), or in future you could apply for a postal or proxy vote where ID is not required (again with application deadlines a few weeks before).
If you wear a face covering such as for medical or religious reasons, you will be asked to momentarily remove this to check your voter ID, but can wear it for the rest of the process. You can request to have this checked in private, or request that a female member of staff checks your ID - these requests will be granted where possible.
What happens at the polling station?
When you arrive at the polling station there are normally different tables set up. You will be directed to the first table who will normally ask for your name and address.
This person may also look at your voter ID or you may be sent to another table to do this.
You will be given a ballot paper which tells you who the candidates (people you can vote for) are and their parties, and where their addresses are based.
You will be sent to a polling booth to place your vote - there will be screens dividing you from other people and pencils provided (you should use these as pens can smudge and your vote might not be counted). This booth may be in the same room as those checking your details, or it might be in a different room that you are directed to.
Once you have selected your vote, you put a cross in the box next to it, fold it up, and place it in the ballot box. You are then allowed to leave the polling station - you don’t have to do anything else.
Reasonable adjustments & accessibility for disabled and Neurodivergent voters
Some disabled voters find voting in person too difficult because there are not enough adjustments made at polling stations. There is not much guidance for extra support for Neurodivergent voters for polling staff, but they should still try to support you to make your vote.
Under the 2010 Equality Act, reasonable adjustments have to be made for you to vote independently and in secret.
Polling stations must provide:
● A notice inside and outside of the polling station which provides instructions for how to vote
● A notice inside each polling station which provides information on how you should mark your ballot paper
● A large sample copy of the ballot paper for voters to be able to see what it looks like
● An enlarged hand-held copy of the ballot paper for partially sighted voters or anyone who would find it useful to take into the polling booth for reference
These notices and copies of the ballot paper might be useful for Neurodivergent people who are trying to process not only their vote but the experience of the polling station itself. You might find it useful to look at the large sample copy before entering the booth if you need longer to look at the paper. These should all be easily available and visible but if they are not, you can ask for them.
There are different forms of equipment that can help some disabled voters. Some should be available as standard, like:
● Chairs/seating for those who can’t stand for long periods
● Magnifiers to increase text size on the documents
● Tactile voting devices for those who are blind or visually impaired to mark their ballots correctly
● A polling booth at a level accessible to wheelchair users
● Ramps
● Badges identifying polling station staff
● Parking spaces for disabled voters
● Pencil grips for those with dexterity needs to help hold pencils independently
There are other pieces of equipment that can be provided like hearing induction loops, audio devices, or alternative information formats like easy read and large print, though not every polling station has these as standard.
You can also ask for someone to support you to mark your ballot, though this stops your vote from being in secret - this could be the Presiding Officer, a family member over 18, or another registered voter.
If you need reasonable adjustments to be made to polling stations or know your polling station is not accessible, you should contact your local authority and local electoral services team to explore alternatives, and the Electoral Commision can also provide advice and information on this. Find contact details for both of these on the Electoral Commission website here.
If the polling stations cannot be made fully physically accessible, a Presiding Officer must deliver the ballot paper to the disabled person outside the station. This should only be in situations where all efforts have been made to make the polling station accessible as it is an unsatisfactory option.
Anonymous Voting
For some people having your name and address on the electoral register can be dangerous and they register as an anonymous voter. If you are an anonymous voter the process at the polling station is the same as everyone else except that you will use your Anonymous Elector’s Document. This will enable you to vote without needing to use the standard forms of ID discussed above.
The Elector’s Document includes:
● The date it was issued
● Your photograph
● Your electoral number - this is the number that will appear on the electoral register instead of your name and address
● An identifier which is a combination of software generated 20 letters and numbers
When you arrive at the polling station you can ask to have your documents checked in a private space. The people working at the polling station will check your identifier and your electoral number.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No you do not have to tell anyone. Who you voted for is private and no one can make you tell them.
There may be people outside your polling station asking you who you voted for or for your poll number (which is on your polling card) so they can understand what the votes are looking like and how many people have voted. You do not have to talk to them if you don’t want to.
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You will be sent a Polling Card, this has details of where to go to vote. If you have not received your Polling Card or it is lost the Electoral Commission gives details of all polling stations. If you type your postcode into the website it will give you the polling station you need to go to. This can be found here
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There are a few reasons that you may be allowed an emergency proxy vote. If you are unable to go to the polling station on the day you can apply for an emergency proxy vote if:
● You have a medical emergency
● You are working away (and did not know this would be the case in advance)
● Your voter ID was lost, stolen or destroyed.
● You wish to change the person who holds your proxy vote (Scotland Only)
Emergency proxy votes may be made up to 5pm on the day of the election. Please note that in Northern Ireland you cannot apply for an emergency proxy vote.
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You will need to have proof of identity (ID) (full list of accepted ID is outlined above) and you will need to know your address. You do not need to bring your polling card with you to be able to vote, though you might want to if it helps to have details to hand.
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The name on your ID must match your name on the electoral register. If it does not, you’ll need to take a document with you to vote that proves you’ve changed your name (for example, a marriage certificate or deed poll).
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If you have completed your postal vote but not sent it back, you can hand your completed vote into your polling station on the day of the election. You will need to complete a form explaining why you are handing in postal votes, how many votes you are handing in and your name and address. If you cannot go to the polling station yourself you can get a trusted friend or family member to take in your postal vote. You cannot ask a political candidate or campaigner to take in your vote as this is against the rules.
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You are able to register to vote at both your home and term time addresses. You do not need to tell anyone where you will be voting on election day. You can only vote once - so if you vote at your home address you cannot vote a second time at your term time address. If you submitted a postal vote for your other address, you cannot vote in person at your current address.
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If you joined the queue to vote before 10pm on the 4th of July, you are entitled to vote even if you enter the polling station after 10pm. You will normally be given a card which shows you were in the queue.
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No, if you sign your ballot it will not be counted as a vote. Anything that identifies who you are will mean your vote is not counted.
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Spoiling your ballot is writing or drawing on your ballot paper, in any way other than putting a cross in the box for the candidate you want to vote for. There are many reasons why people spoil their ballot. You are allowed to spoil your ballot but it will not be counted towards a specific candidate.
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No, it is not allowed. Taking photos in the polling station is a risk to the secrecy of the ballot. You are allowed to take photos outside of the polling station.
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You can tell anyone who you voted for but it is illegal to tell people how someone else voted. The punishment for showing how someone else voted is up to £5000 as a fine or six months in prison.
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It is not against the law to wear clothes with political slogans or political party images to the polling station. It is advised to leave quickly after voting if you do wear political slogans or political party images as campaigning for a political party in the polling station is against the law. Whilst it is not against the law to wear party political clothing it is up to the staff at the polling station and they may not let you in if you are wearing political party specific clothing.
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You are allowed to wear a face covering to the polling station. You will be asked to remove it for a few moments to check your ID. You can ask to have your ID checked in private. You can also ask for your ID to be checked by a female member of staff.
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No, you are not allowed to talk about policies or candidates inside the polling station.
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Yes, someone can come with you to the polling station if you need extra help or support. If you have a disability or are Neurodivergent you can ask for someone to help you vote. This can be anyone over the age of 18, they do not need to be registered to vote themselves.
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Yes, there is no rule that says you cannot wear ear defenders. If you are worried, tell the polling staff that you need to wear them to be able to vote due to your Neurodivergence or disability.
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Only if it doesn't disrupt other people. If you are listening to music on headphones you'll need to remove them when talking to polling station staff. They will want to make sure they have your name and details. If your music is too loud you may be asked to turn it down or leave.
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Going to the polling station can make people quite nervous or overstimulated as it is an unfamiliar environment. You are allowed to take your time and no one will rush you to make you vote. If you are worried, talk to the people at the polling station and say you may need extra time. They are there to help you and make sure you are given the chance to give your vote.
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Unfortunately if you are not registered to vote you will not be able to vote in this election. However, you can register now for future elections on the government website.
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The Electoral Commission advises that dogs can be brought to polling stations, but they might have to be left outside unless they are an assistance dog. You are legally entitled to bring assistance dogs into the building.
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People are encouraged to bring their children to the polling station. Children are not allowed to mark the ballot papers, even if you require assistance as this must be given by someone over 18 years old.