Polling Places
A polling place is a the particular building where people go to cast their vote(s) during elections. This may be a local school, hall, community centre or sports club. Polling station(s) are located within a polling place and there may be more than one polling station in a polling place. Each polling station has a Presiding Officer and a Polling Clerk, who issue ballot papers to voters living at addresses in a set area (polling district) around the polling station.
When you go to a polling place with more than one station there will be a street list displayed which tells you which station to go to collect your ballot paper. It is important that you return your ballot paper to the ballot box at the same polling station at which you were given your paper.
The polling place at which you are required to vote is printed on a pollcard which is sent to your address shortly before an election/referendum. It is also published on a public notice called the "Situation of Polling Places" in the newspaper prior to a poll.You can find your polling place by using the 'Find my Polling Place' search tool.
You can only vote at your designated polling place where you will appear on the polling station register there if you are eligible to vote.
Polling districts are reviewed by the Council and the Electoral Registration Officer, often when there is a change in the Local Government ward boundaries or constituency boundaries. The polling district you live in determines the polling place you vote at.You can find your polling place by using the 'Find my Polling Place' search tool.
The Elections Team proposes which places are designated as polling places and these are agreed by the Returning Officer and the Council. These are reviewed regularly to assess the suitability of the facility for the voter. Issues such as access and location, making sure that they are, as far as practicable and reasonable, accessible to all voters are considered. Other factors are considered in designating a polling place such as the number of electorate, geographic location, ownership and maintenance, future population changes, facilities, parking and transport.
At each polling station there will be a Presiding Officer and a Polling Clerk who issue ballot papers and check the eligibility of voters when they come to the station against lists that they have been issued. The staff are responsible for the polling station, it's running and also for ensuring the ballot box is transported the count. Anyone over 18 can register with the Election Office to work in a polling station, see further information about working at elections.
If you are unable to attend your polling place to vote for whatever reason, you could vote by post or vote by proxy (a proxy is someone you trust to vote on your behalf). To do this you must apply for a postal or proxy vote by contacting the Electoral Registration Office. See the Ways to Vote section