Voting

The following people are allowed to vote:

• All British, Commonwealth, Irish and other European Union citizens aged eighteen years or over
• British citizens living overseas
• Members of HM Forces and their spouses
• Crown servants employed outside the United Kingdom
• European citizens are allowed to vote in European and Local Elections only
• Overseas electors are allowed to vote in Parliamentary and European Elections only.

Poll cards are delivered shortly before an election.  Each member of the household who is eligible to vote should receive a poll card which informs them of the date of the election, where their polling station is and the hours of poll.  You do not need to take the poll card with you to be able to vote.  If you have a postal vote you will receive notification that your ballot paper/s will be sent to you in the post.

The government has changed the hours that polling stations are open so they are the same for all elections.  This means that polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm for Parliamentary, Local and European elections.

How to vote

• On arrival at your designated polling station, the Presiding Officer will ask you to confirm your name and address and will issue you with a ballot paper
• The ballot paper will be marked with an official stamp
• You should take the ballot paper to the voting booth and mark with a "X" the candidate you wish to vote for
• Fold the ballot paper and deposit it in the ballot box.

What if I am unable to get to the Polling Station on Election Day?

If you are unable to go to your polling station on Election Day, you can apply to vote by post or proxy.

Anyone on the electoral register can apply for a postal vote - you do not need a particular reason.  Electors can apply to vote by post for a particular election, for all elections, for a specified period or permanently.

A proxy is a person who votes on behalf of someone else.  A proxy vote can be granted to anyone who satisfies the Electoral Registration Officer that they cannot reasonably be expected to vote in person on Election Day.  Examples include those on holiday, those who are ill or in hospital and people who are away on business or whose job restricts their voting capabilities.  Proxy voters may vote by post if they want to.

Please apply as early as possible for a postal or proxy vote because there are strict deadlines at election time.

All electors must now provide personal identifiers on their absent vote application to enhance the security of the system - these include your signature and date of birth.  

If you are included in the Welwyn Hatfield Register of Electors and would like to apply for a postal or proxy application form, please complete the on-line Form or contact the Electoral Services Office by e-mail at elections@welhat.gov.uk or by telephone on 01707 357300.