If you want to vote in elections you must first be registered to vote. If you’re a student living away from home, you can register to vote at both addresses.
How to vote.
You will receive a polling card in the post a few weeks before the election it will have details of your polling station.
Polling stations open from 7am – 10pm on the day of the election.
When you get to the polling station the staff will give you a ballot paper. If there is more than one election taking place in your local area on the same day you may receive more than one ballot paper.
You can then take your ballot paper into one of the polling booths so that no one can see who you are voting for. Read the ballot paper carefully, if you have been given several ballot papers make sure you know which election you are voting in. The ballot paper will also tell you how to cast your vote.
Mark your ballot paper according to the instructions. Usually you are asked to put an X in the box of your preferred candidate.
Registering for a Postal Vote.
Voting by post is a way of voting that you can use if you are unable to get to the polling station. So, this method of voting means that you can cast your vote in your home constituency while living away at university.
To vote by post, you need to be registered to vote. Then you need to fill in a postal vote application form. You can apply to vote by post now. Once you have completed the form, you’ll need to print it, sign it, and send it back to your local electoral registration office.
The deadline for postal vote applications is usually eleven working days before polling day.
Your postal vote is normally sent out about a week before election day.
If you have reasons that mean you are unable to vote, it is possible to appoint someone to vote on your behalf, you will have to provide reasoning and appoint someone you trust to vote for you.
If you do not feel aligned to any of the political parties or candidates in your area then there is ‘Blank Voting’. It is a form of protest voting that is more effective than not voting at all!