Voting is a brilliant way to get your voice heard and help shape your future!
Remember on polling day:
- DON’T wear badges, signs and slogans which shows a political symbol.
- DON’T take a selfie or any photograph in the voting booth.
- DON’T run out of time to vote.
1. Your polling card will come to your home before the date of the election.
2. Your card will tell you the election date, where you should go to vote and what time it opens.
3. If you did not receive a polling card but you are registered, you can still vote.
4. You don’t need your polling card but you will need photo ID e.g. passport, student card etc.
5. When you arrive at the polling station, you will be asked your name & address.
6. Your ballot paper will be stamped and then you go to the voting compartment.
Time to make your mark!
- On your ballot paper, the names of the candidates will be listed alphabetically with an indication of the political party, if any. You may also see a photograph of the candidate and/or a party emblem.
- You fill in the ballot paper by writing numbers in the boxes beside the names of the candidates.
- You write ‘1’ in the box beside the name of your first choice.
- You write ‘2’ in the box beside the name of your second choice and so on.
- You can choose to stop after 1 or any other choice, or go right down the ballot paper.
- Fold your ballot paper to hide your vote and place it in the sealed ballot box.
- Don’t put your name or address or any personal information on the ballot paper. It is a secret ballot so no-one knows who you vote for!!!
- You may only vote once at the election.
Single Transferable Vote
- When you vote this way you are choosing to transfer your vote to your second choice candidate if the first choice is either elected or eliminated. If your second choice candidate is either elected or eliminated your vote will be transferred to your third choice and so on. This is known as a ‘Single Transferable Vote’.
Voters in need of additional supports.
If you have a disability, illness, sight problems, difficulty reading or writing; there are supports available to help you to exercise your right to vote. More information.
If you have any questions about voting, you can chat online to a trained Youth Information Officer or leave us a message and we can get back to you.
Voting in a Rerendum:
- The ballot paper will state the proposed changes to the constitution.
- You will be asked whether you approve of the proposed changes.
- You mark “X” in either the “yes” or the “no” box on the ballot paper.
- Fold your ballot paper to hide your vote and place it in the sealed ballot box.