Ways to vote
Easy Read by Innovate Trust
There are 3 ways you can vote at elections.
1. Voting by post before election day.
2. Voting in person on election day.
3. Voting by proxy on election day.
Remember:
You must be on the electoral register if you want to vote!
Voting by Post
Lots of people prefer to vote by post.
It means you can relax a bit more and do things in the way that suits you best.
It means you can ask for all the help you need to fill in the ballot paper at home.
Contact your council a few weeks before the election to ask for a postal vote.
They will send you a form to sign and send back to them.
Closer to election day they will send you a voting pack.
This has information on what you must do next.
Once you have filled in the ballot paper and other forms you must send it back to the council.
Remember to send it back in plenty of time before election day.
Voting in person
Lots of people like to vote in person at the polling station on election day.
A few days before the election you will get a polling card.
This has the address and opening hours of your polling station.
The card also reminds you about the date of the election and what sort of election it is.
On election day go to the polling station.
You can show your polling card or tell the polling staff your name and address.
They will check your photo ID.
They will give you the ballot paper and explain how to fill it in.
You will need to go to a polling booth to fill it in as this is private.
Remember, no-one else has the right to know who you vote for.
After you fill it in, fold the paper and put it in the ballot box near the polling staff.
Proxy vote
A proxy vote is where you ask someone you trust a lot to go to the polling station to vote for you on election day.
You must contact your council for a special form a few weeks before election day.
They will send you and your proxy more information on what to do next.
