On Thursday May 6th the nation goes to the polls to decide who will lead the nation,
will current Prime Minister Gordon Brown remain in power, will Conservative opposition
leader David Cameron end up in No10, or will the outsider Nick Clegg from the Liberal
Democrats steal the show.
So who can vote in the election?
You can vote in the election as long as you are 18 or over on polling day, a British citizen, or a commonwealth citizen, or a citizen of the Irish Republic (living in the UK). You must also be registered on the electoral register.
Who can’t vote?
- anyone under 18 years old
- members of the House of Lords
- European Union citizens
- citizens of any country apart from the Irish Republic and Commonwealth countries
- people serving a sentence in prison
- anyone found guilty of breaking election law in the last five years
How do I vote on the day?
Most people in the UK choose to cast their vote in person at a local polling station. Voting at a polling station is very straightforward and there is always a member of staff available to help if you're not sure what to do.
If you are on the electoral register, you will receive a poll card before the election telling you where and when to vote. The polling station is often a school or local hall near where you live. The poll card is for your information only, and you do not need to take it to the polling station in order to vote.
The steps to vote on the day are as follows;
a) On election day, go to your local polling station. Polling station opening hours are 7am - 10pm. If you are disabled and need assistance getting to the polling station, contact your electoral registration office to find out what help is available. You can also ask to have a companion with you when you vote, or staff in the polling station may be able to help you..
b) Tell the staff inside the polling station your name and address so they can check that you are on the electoral register. You can show them your poll card, but you do not need it to vote.
c) The staff at the polling station will give you a ballot paper listing the parties and candidates you can vote for. It will be stamped with an official mark. You may be given more than one ballot paper if there is more than one election on the same day. If you have a visual impairment, you can ask for a special voting device that allows you to vote on your own in secret.
d) Take your ballot paper into a polling booth so that no one can see how you vote. Read the ballot paper carefully, it will tell you how to cast your vote. Do not write anything else on the paper or your vote may not be counted.
e) Finally, when you have marked your vote, fold the ballot paper in half and put it in the ballot box. Do not let anyone see your vote. If you are not clear on what to do, ask the staff at the polling station to help you.
Where do I go to vote?
To find out where to vote visit the Councils election page, and enter your post code (Swxx xxx) into the “Find your polling station” box.
You can also find a map of the polling station here.
Who can I vote for?
You can vote for any of the candidate on the ballot paper. The 3 main parties are;
- Labour
When do we find out who won?
The count for Wandsworth borough will happen on Friday 7th May 2010.
Where can I get more information about voting?
