Voting in person

What to expect when you vote in person at a polling station.

Your poll card

You’ll be sent a poll card just before the election telling you when to vote and at which polling station. You can only vote at the polling station location stated on your poll card.

Although you do not need your poll card with you to vote, you may find this speeds up the process as each poll card now has a QR code on which when scanned helps to find you on the electoral register.

Polling stations are open 7am to 10pm

If you have not received a poll card but you have registered to vote, contact our electoral services team on 01903 737616.

Voter photo ID

From 4 May 2023 you will need to show photo ID to vote. You can find out more about the new photo ID requirement on our voter photo ID page.

If you have lost your poll card

If you have lost your poll card you can still vote in the election. You will need to have your identification with you to vote.

To check which polling station you should vote at, please see our find my polling station page.

Voting at the polling station

If you would like to know how to vote at a polling station on polling day, The Electoral Commission provide useful information on how to vote and what to expect when voting at a polling station.

Voting if you have a disability

On the day of the election, polling stations will be equipped with:

  • disabled access and ramps
  • a low level polling booth
  • a large print version of the ballot paper
  • a braille ballot paper
  • a magnifying glass
  • a special tactile voting device (TVD) to help people with sight loss

You may also request the assistance of the presiding officer to mark the ballot paper for you or bring someone with you to help as long as they are over 18 years old.

If you are unable to enter the polling station because of limited disabled access, the presiding officer can bring the ballot paper outside to you to vote.

If you would like more information about your polling station, please contact electoral services team on 01903 737616.

If you cannot vote on polling day

Under certain circumstances, for example due to medical or employment reasons, you can apply for an emergency proxy vote.

Asking for help

If you’re not sure what to do or need any help, just ask the staff at the polling station they will be happy to assist you with any queries you have.