At the polling station
Usually there are two people at each polling station (a
presiding officer and a poll clerk) however, at busy stations there
may be an extra poll clerk. They will ask you for your
address and will confirm your full name. When the details have been
confirmed a mark is made on the electoral register to show that you
have voted, and you will not be able to vote again in the same
election. You will be handed a ballot paper, which lists all
the candidates standing for election. You should then go to one of
the polling compartments and mark your ballot paper clearly with an
X beside the candidate you wish to vote for.
The Presiding Officer is there to help you and you may ask
for their assistance in marking the ballot paper. Any discussions
will remain confidential.
If you make a mistake you can ask for another ballot paper but
you must not place the spoilt paper in the ballot
box, instead you should hand this to the polling staff
explaining that you have spoilt your vote. You will be given a
replacement which, when you have voted, should be placed in the
ballot box.
You should then place the ballot paper into the ballot box. Each
ballot box will be taken to the count centre and counted with all
the other votes from other stations being used for the
election.
The appropriate Polling Station address is printed on your Poll
Card.
However, you can
click here for an index of Polling Stations in
the District (PDF file).
Frequently asked How/Where to Vote
Questions!
What time will the polling station be open
from?
Polling hours are between 7:00am – 10:00pm on
Polling Day.
How do I find out where my polling station is?
Your
polling station location will be on the poll card that will be
delivered to you.
I haven’t received my poll card or my whole
block/street hasn’t received poll cards?
You can still
vote even if you do not have a poll card, as long as you are on the
electoral register. You should check with your electoral
registration office whether you are on the electoral register and
report the fact that you have not received your poll card.
Do I have to go to the Polling Station to
vote?No, you can apply for a Postal or Proxy vote. Further
details are available on the Postal and Proxy page of this
website.
How many Councillors will represent my ward?
The
number of Councillors will depend on the overall size of the
electorate. The number of votes available will be printed on the
TOP of the Ballot Paper.
How do I fill my ballot paper?
You should mark an “X”
against the candidate/party you want to be elected in your
area.
Counts and results
How does the count work?
The count is managed
locally by the Returning Officer.
How can I find out about attending the count?
Attendance at the Count is limited to Candidates, their
supporters and accredited observers
When are the results announced?
This will depend on the
individual areas and the length of time it takes to conduct the
count. The counting of votes will commence after the close of
poll on Polling Day. If you would like to find out what
happens in the Braintree District area, contact Electoral
Services.
updated - 11.16 - 26/02/09