We live in a democracy and so all adults have a say in who runs the country. 

Find out how to cast your vote.

Why vote?

• Have your say on the issues that you care about
• Choose the people who will make decisions that affect your everyday life

Registering to vote

• To vote in an election, you must be registered
• In the autumn of each year, your local authority will send you a registration form to complete and return
• At other times of the year, you can contact your local authority to ask for a voter registration form

How to vote

• At your allocated polling station (often a local public building such as a school). Your local authority will send you a polling card with details of your polling station
• By post. You need to request and complete a postal vote application form and send it to your local authority. About a week before the election they will send you a postal ballot paper
• By proxy. You can appoint somebody to vote on your behalf. You must apply to your local authority for a proxy vote. You must meet certain legal requirements to be allowed to vote by proxy

Accessible voting?

• Each polling station has a braille / large print template. This fits over the ballot paper. It can help you to mark your ballot paper in the right place
• You can take somebody with you to help you to vote
• You can ask staff at the polling station to help you to vote
• If somebody helps you to vote, they are not allowed to tell anybody who you voted for - it's a secret ballot

Types of elections

European elections

You vote for Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). MEPs help to make European law and to oversee the running of the European Union.

General elections

You vote for a Member of Parliament (MP). MPs help to make UK-wide and English laws and oversee the running of the UK government.

Welsh or Northern Ireland Assembly elections

You vote for an Assembly Member. Assembly Members help to make laws and policies on issues that are devolved to the Assembly, and to oversee the running of the Assembly and Executive. 

Local elections 

You vote for local councillors. Local councillors represent you to your local authority.

Contact us if you need further information.