Sunday 12 November 2017


General Election 2010: how to vote in Britain

A guide to who can vote and how to do it ahead of the upcoming General Election in the United Kingdom.

The Houses of Parliament Photo: CHRISTOPHER PLEDGER

Who can vote?
Only citizens of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland are allowed to vote in the General Election. You must also be resident in a constituency, and on the electoral register. Further, if it is more than 15 years since you last lived in Britain, you will no longer be eligible to vote.

Who can't vote?
Some people are not eligible to vote. Members of the House of Lords are barred, as are prisoners, those held in secure hospitals as a result of a crime, or those "unlawfully at large". Anyone convicted of electoral fraud or other malpractice will be prevented from voting for five years. Also, people with a severe mental illness who are "unable to understand the voting procedure" are ineligible.

How do I get on the electoral register?
The register is put together once a year, but amended regularly throughout it. Around August or September each year every household receives an electoral registration form or is visited by someone from the electoral registration office. You should fill out all the details on the form, including everyone in the household who is eligible to vote, even if they are temporarily away from home. If you have not received a form - perhaps because you have moved house or are homeless - you can pick one up from the electoral registration officer. Every local authority has one. You can register to vote up to 11 days before polling day.

To find out whether you are already on the register, contact your local electoral registration office, who can tell you.

It is against the law to give false information on the electoral registration form, or to withhold information if the electoral registration officer asks for it.

How do I vote?
In the run-up to polling day, you will receive a polling card (unless you have made other arrangements - of which more below). The card will tell you where your polling station is and the hours it will be open on the day. You won't need the card to vote, although it may make the process easier.

You sign the register at the polling station and are given a ballot paper. Then simply go into the booth and mark a cross in the relevant boxes.

What if I am disabled?
Your local authority is obliged to provide help for disabled voters, if you choose to vote in person rather than by proxy (see below). If you are partially sighted they must provide a large-print version of the ballot paper, and if you are blind or partially sighted they must provide equipment that will allow you to fill in the ballot paper without assistance.

If you are physically disabled, or unable to read, you are allowed to take a companion to help you fill out and submit the form. The companion must be a registered voter and must make a signed declaration of this. He or she cannot help more than one disabled voter per election. The presiding officer at the polling station must be satisfied that you do need assistance in order to vote. You can also ask the presiding officer to mark the form on your behalf.

What if I am unable to attend on the day?
You can apply for a postal vote. You can do this by filling out a form available at or from your electoral registration office. You will need to provide your full name, date of birth, the address you are registered at and the address where the ballot paper must be sent. You must also state whether you intend to vote by post for a single election, for a given period, or indefinitely, and sign and date the application.

Your application must be received at least 11 working days before the poll. You will receive a ballot paper through the post, with a declaration of identity that you must sign in the presence of a witness who must also print and sign.

Proxy voting
Certain groups are eligible to vote by proxy - that is, to have someone else submit their vote for them. These people are: members of the armed forces; overseas voters; people who would need to journey by sea or air to cast their vote; people whose occupation or that of their spouse or civil partner will prevent them voting in person (for example oil rig workers; evidence will be needed from employers); or blind or otherwise physically disabled voters (you will need to provide evidence of your condition).

If your application for postal or proxy voting is declined, you can appeal, as long as you applied for a period rather than a specific election. You need to respond to the notification within 14 days of receiving it and specify your grounds.

How is the winner selected?
British parliamentary elections are first-past-the-post; i.e. the candidate with the most votes takes full control of the seat - not necessarily a majority (as there may be more than two candidates), just more votes than anyone else. It doesn't matter whether they only win by a few votes (although in that case a recount is likely, to ensure that the count is right), they will be in power. Some - notably the Liberal Democrats and the Electoral Reform Society - suggest that this is unfair, and want some sort of proportional representation, as used in most European parliaments.

What if the party I voted for doesn't win?
That's how it goes, alas. But if you think the result of the election is illegitimate, you can challenge the outcome. You need four or more of you to submit an election petition at the Election Petitions Office of the Royal Courts of Justice, or the Court of Session in Scotland. It will cost you £120 and needs to be submitted within 21 days of the election.

If at any stage in the campaign you are concerned about fraud or suspicious behaviour - for example if you receive postal vote forms for two constituencies - you should report it to the Electoral Commission. Lots more information is available from their website.

Matt cartoons about the General Election 2010



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