What do i do on election day ?

Stealthirl

Go to the polling ststion with my voteing card and drivers licance ?
then what ? never voted before :eek:

ankles

You will get a voting card in the post a few days before the 25th. You might check of course that you're on the register? Log on to your local city/county council to check. Anyway, your card will have a number on it. Depending on the size of the polling station, you might see a number of tables each of which will say what numbers should go to that table. Go to your table and hand over your card. You may or may not be asked for ID. They will strike your name of a list and give you a vote paper. It will list all the candidates in your constituency. You will have a box/private table to go to which will have a pencil. Do your 1-2-3-4-5 whatever. Back to your table. There will be a box beside it. Pop it in. Go home.

Congrats on voting. It's a nice feeling

stoneill

Just mark 1,2,3 in order of your choice next to the candidates you want.
Don't mark X - that's a spoiled ballot.

johngalway

They check your ID, then your name against the register, then give you your voting card and send you off into the booth to cast your vote. You vote in order of your preferences, 1 for the candidate you like the most, 2 for your second favorite candidate, 3, 4 and so on.

You can cast as many preferences as there are candidates in your constituency. For example if there are 10 candidates you can do 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10. Or cast as few preferences, just 1. Or 1,2,3. Whatever ya like really. Only write one number beside each candidate.

If you're unsure of anything, ASK the staff for an example. Don't tell them who yer voting for, and don't let them influence your voting - they're not allowed do that.

Eliot Rosewater

You go into the polling station and hand over your polling card. You might be asked for ID.

The people working there then get a ballot paper, stamp it and give it to you.

You then go behind a partition or some other kind of concealment, so that your choice is secret. You fill in your preferences. Here's an example of a ballot paper.

Then you fold your ballot paper, and stick it in the box.

takun

Yes, you go to the polling station with your polling card and some method of identification (a driving license is fine).

In the polling station you will be directed to one of several rooms depending on what is on your card (there will be a booth number). There is clear signage and usually a person about to direct you to the right place.

In the room where you vote there will be election officers at a table, who will look at your card and (possibly) your identification, find your name on the electoral register and cross it off - indicating that you have voted. They will give you your ballot paper.

You take the ballot paper to a desk with sides (think an office cubicle) where you mark your choices on the paper. Pens are provided. If you make a mistake, you can take your paper back to the officers and get another one.

When you have completed your paper, you post it into a box.

You are done. Enjoy the power of your first vote!

PS: The voting is always in schools. I enjoy that, it's nice to see all the kids artwork up in the halls and rooms - I do think they make an effort when they know so many people will be in their school, but maybe I am wrong about that.

emanresu

When you turn up at the desk, you will be given a ballot paper.
Take it to a vacant booth where there will be pencils provided.

Mark "1" beside your first choice candidate, mark "2" beside your second choice, "3" for your third choice, and so on.

You can just give preference votes for particular candidates you want to vote for and leave the box beside the others blank,
or you can continue to write preference numbers for all candidates.

If you only want to vote for one person and don't care about any of the others, you can either put an "X" or a "1" beside their name, and leave everything else blank.

If you want to give votes to several candidates, you have to choose which preference you want to give them, and mark "1", "2", "3" etc.
You cannot mark "X"'s for more than one candidate.

If there is/are candidate(s) that you definately don't want to vote for, don't continue to give them lower preferences, just leave blanks.

If your number 1 candidate is elected with over the "quota", a sample of their surplus votes will be distributed to the number 2 candidates on their ballot papers.

If a candidate is eliminated, their votes will be distributed to other candidates. For example, if your number 1 candidate is eliminated from the count, due to not getting enough votes, your vote will be transferred to your number 2 choice.
So for example, if your number 1 and 2 choices did not get enough votes to be elected on one of the counts, and number 1 got so few votes to be eliminated, then your vote would be given to number 2, and added to their total for the next count.

So your preference votes can benefit other candidates.
So you should vote 1 for your first preference and continue with
2 ,3, 4 etc (if you wish vote for others) in order of your preference,
and leave blank any candidates you do not wish to vote for (if any).

Then fold your ballot paper and go back to the desk and put the ballot paper in the ballot box.

EDIT:
Apologies for repetition of points given in above posts. I didn't see them before I started typing.

Ilovelucy

takun wrote: »

PS: The voting is always in schools. I enjoy that, it's nice to see all the kids artwork up in the halls and rooms - I do think they make an effort when they know so many people will be in their school, but maybe I am wrong about that.

Our polling station isnt a school!

takun

Ilovelucy wrote: »

Our polling station isnt a school!

Aah. So no cute paintings then?

Sorry, should have said almost always!

johnnyskeleton

Step 1: Turn up at polling station.
Step 2: Vote for [insert whatever party].

There will be plenty of officials there to help you out if you are confused.