How to vote in person
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Before an election, the council will send you a polling card. This card will tell you when voting day is and where you can go to vote in person.
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You can vote in person at a place called a polling station on the day of the election.
Polling is another word for voting.
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Polling stations are community buildings, such as a local hall, school, or church.
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Your polling station will be close to where you live.
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You can usually vote from early in the morning until 10pm at night on voting day.
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You can ask someone you trust to help you at the polling station.
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This person must be registered to vote in the same election you are voting in.
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This person can help you to fill in your ballot paper.
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But you must tell the polling station staff.
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You can also ask the polling station staff for help.
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When you get to the polling station
There will be signs to show you that you are at the polling station.
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There might be a queue.
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When you arrive at the polling station there might be somebody stood outside.
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They might ask you for your name and/or address.
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This is so they can see how many people voted.
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They are not polling station staff and you don’t have to give them any information if you don’t want to.
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Inside the polling station
When you get to the polling station you will be asked for your voting card.
They might call this your polling card.
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It is ok if you don’t have this, you don’t need it.
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The polling station staff will ask you to confirm your address. This is to make sure you are registered to vote.
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They will also ask you to show your ID. This is new, so if you have voted before you won’t have had to do it.
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Visit this My Vote My Voice webpage to find out more about making sure you have the right ID to vote in person.
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When they have confirmed who you are the polling station staff will give you a ballot paper.
This is what you will use to cast your vote.
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Casting your vote
When you have your ballot paper you will go to one of the polling booths.
These are tall tables with privacy screens around them.
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The polling booth is a private area where you can vote.
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You can take time to think about who to vote for.
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Try to do this quietly.
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There are instructions to follow on the ballot paper.
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Using the pencil provided, put a cross or tick next to the person you want to vote for.
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You might need to vote for more than one person.
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This will be on the instructions on the ballot paper.
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You can ask a member of the polling station staff for help.
Don’t put any other marks on the ballot paper.
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If you need a new ballot paper, ask the polling station staff.
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When you have completed the ballot paper, fold it in half.
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Walk over to the big box and post it in. This is the ballot box.
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The ballot box is a locked box where all votes are kept safe.
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Don’t talk about who you voted for in the polling station, wait until you are away from it.
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Getting help at a polling station
You can ask the polling station staff for help or to show you what to do.
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You don’t have to tell them you have a learning disability and/or autism but it might help.
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Your learning disability and/or autism does not affect your legal right to vote.
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Download this voting passport and complete it to help you explain this at the polling station.
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Preparing to vote in person links and resources
It is important to think about who you want to vote for and what you will do to vote before voting day.
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Visit this My Vote My Voice webpage to find out why voting is important and what happens when you vote.
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Download this Voting Passport which clearly shows how you would like to be supported and your legal rights to vote.