As you have probably heard, the Prime Minister has called a general election. This will take place on Thursday 4 July, with polls open from 7am to 10pm.
As always, I encourage everyone to get out there and vote, even if you know your party is unlikely to win. I have always held the view, that if you don’t exercise your right to vote, then you really don’t have the right to sit there and moan about those in charge.
If you don’t like the choices of the main parties, then you can always spoil the ballet paper, or vote for one of the fringe parties. Think of it as a protest vote. If you dont like how the country is run, how can you complain if you have not done anything to change it?
To Vote, you need to be registered to vote, have valid photo ID or a Voter Authority Certificate.
If you are a student, you can register to vote at both your term time residence, and your family home residence location. Note for the general election you can only actually vote at one of these locations, not both, you can decide which is more convenient for you. There is more information from the NUS here for students.
Key Dates.
- You have until 18 June to register to vote if you’re not registered already.
- You have until 5pm on 19 June to apply for a postal vote (postal vote packs sent out around 10 days before polling day)
- You have until 5pm on 26 June to apply for a proxy vote (for someone to vote on your behalf)
- You have until 5pm on 26 June If you want to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate (if you don’t have photo ID)
Postal Votes
Postal votes are great if you know you’re going to be away, such as for a holiday. If you are registered for a postal vote, remember to complete it and return as soon as you receive it. This is because it will be opened and counted along with the votes made on polling day. If it arrives too late, then it won’t get counted.
Final Point
You will need to show photo ID or a Voter Authority Certificate to vote at polling stations for the General Election. Accepted forms of photo ID include passports, photographic driving licences, biometric immigration documents, and certain concessionary travel passes. A full list of acceptable IDs can be found here.