How to vote
There are three ways you can cast your vote in an election:
- in person at a polling station
- by post
- by proxy
You can find more information about how to vote at GOV.UK. You must register by 11:59pm on 18 June 2024 to vote in the General Election on 4 July 2024.
Vote in person at a polling station
Polling stations are situated around the Borough of Broxbourne and are open on the election day. You will receive a polling card giving details of your polling station before an election. If you lose your polling card you can still vote. To find your polling station, go to where do I vote.
On voting day you should go to a polling station. It is helpful, but not essential, if you take your polling card with you as the staff there will need to know your name and address. You will be given a ballot paper for each poll. On the ballot paper, there is a list of candidates and the political parties they represent. The ballot paper will also tell you how many votes you have. Go to a polling booth and:
- put a cross (X) next to your chosen candidate
- fold your ballot paper in half and put it in the ballot box
You can ask a member of staff at the polling station about anything you are unsure of. Do not put any additional marks or comments on your ballot paper as this is likely to make your vote void.
Vote by post
You can apply to vote by post at all elections or just for a particular election. The closing date for postal applications is 11 working days before the election.
The ballot paper can be sent to any address including those outside the UK. However, your vote may take longer to arrive and votes received after the poll closes will not be counted. Once your postal application has been accepted, you will not be allowed to vote in person at a polling station, although you can hand in your postal ballot paper to a polling station in your electoral area on polling day.
You can download a postal vote application form from the electoral commission. Once you have filled this in you should send it to the Council. You can do this either:
- by post
- by using the Council's online enquiry form
Note: if you use the online enquiry form you must upload a scanned application form. A photograph of the form will not be accepted.
Changes to postal voting - Elections Act 2022
From October 2023, there will be a number of changes to postal voting.
- You will have the option to apply for a postal vote via a new central government online system. You will need to provide your national insurance number, or sufficient documentary evidence displaying proof of identity when applying for an absent vote, whether this is an online application or paper application.
- Postal voters must reapply to vote by post every 3 years.
- Political parties and campaigners will no longer be allowed to handle postal vote packs.
- There will be a limit of 6 postal votes a person can hand in at a polling station.
Vote by proxy
You may wish to appoint a proxy (another person) to vote on your behalf because of your occupation or physical circumstances. Your proxy will need to go to your polling station and complete your ballot paper for you. If you apply for a proxy vote you must specify why you cannot vote in person.
You can apply for a proxy vote up to six working days before the election day provided you have not already applied for a postal vote. All applications must be received before 5pm on the final day.
You can download a proxy vote application form from the electoral commission. Once you have filled this in you should send it to the Council. You can do this either:
- by post
- by using the Council's online enquiry form
Note: if you use the online enquiry form you must upload a scanned application form. A photograph of the form will not be accepted.
Changes to proxy voting - Elections Act 2022
From October 2023, you will only be able to act as a proxy for up to 2 people living in the UK (or a maximum of 4 people, with 2 people living in the UK and 2 people registered as living overseas).
Emergency proxy vote
If you suffer a medical emergency which means you cannot visit a polling station in person, or your employment means you cannot do so (provided you only became aware of this after the deadline to apply for a proxy vote), you can apply to vote by emergency proxy until the election day. Contact the Council directly to get more information on how to apply.
For a full list of the forms that can be downlaoded and completed based on your circumstances, if you are unable to go to a polling station for the foreseeable future, or a long period of time, please visit the Electoral Commission website.
Voter ID
The UK Government has introduced a requirement for voters to show photo ID when voting at a polling station at some elections. When voting via post, photo ID is not required. This new requirement will apply for the first time in England at the local elections on Thursday 4 May 2023.
Which forms of ID can I use to vote?
You may already have a form of photo ID that is acceptable. You can use any of the following:
- Passport
- Driving licence (including provisional license)
- Blue badge
- Certain concessionary travel cards
- Identity card with PASS mark (Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
- Biometric Immigration document
- Defence identity card
- Certain national identity cards
For more information on which forms of photo ID will be accepted, visit electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID or call their helpline on 0800 328 0280.
If you don’t have an accepted form photo ID
If you don’t already have an accepted form of photo ID, or you’re not sure whether your photo ID still looks like you, you can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate. You can apply for this at gov.uk.
Alternatively, you can complete a paper application form and send this to the Council’s Electoral Services team using the following address:
Broxbourne Borough Council
Electoral Registration Officer
Borough Offices
Bishop's College
Churchgate
EN8 9XQ
If you need any help with applying for a Voter Authority Certificate or want to request an application form, please email elections@broxbourne.gov.uk or call 01992 785577.