How to get involved

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Voting summary

A woman making a choice

Voting is how we choose the people who will become politicians.

Politician

Politicians are ordinary people who decide they want to help run the country. They become politicians by winning an election.

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A map with a part of it highlighted with some different coloured pawns and the European Union flag

A politician's job is to represent us when decisions are made about our local community, our country and the European Union.

Politician

Politicians are ordinary people who decide they want to help run the country. They become politicians by winning an election.

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Represent

This means doing something on behalf of someone else.

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European Union

A group of 27 countries who have joined together to decide on policies and laws. 

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A man with two thought bubbles one with thumbs up, one with thumbs down

If you don’t vote you are letting other people choose who will represent you and make decisions about issues that affect you. The following information tells you about how to vote.

Vote

Choosing someone in an election, or choosing an answer to a question.

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Represent

This means doing something on behalf of someone else.

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Vote

Choosing someone in an election, or choosing an answer to a question.

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A map of different wards with different coloured pawns on it

Register to vote

To be able to vote you have to be over 18 and on the electoral register. The electoral register is a list of all the names and addresses of people in the area who can vote.

Vote

Choosing someone in an election, or choosing an answer to a question.

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Electoral register

The list of names of everyone who is allowed to vote.

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Electoral register

The list of names of everyone who is allowed to vote.

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Vote

Choosing someone in an election, or choosing an answer to a question.

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A woman at the computer and on the phone

You can check to see if you are on the electoral register by contacting your local council. You can phone them, write to them or email them.

Electoral register

The list of names of everyone who is allowed to vote.

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Local council

Group who are responsible for local services.

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A man pointing to himself with a map in the background

If you are not already registered to vote, you can tell your council you want to be on the register and they will tell you what to do next. This may mean filling in a form or registering online.

Vote

Choosing someone in an election, or choosing an answer to a question.

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Council

This is the local government where things are decided about the area you live in.

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Online

On the internet.

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A thumb turned upwards

Once you are on the electoral register you can vote at the next election.

Electoral register

The list of names of everyone who is allowed to vote.

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Election

The time when you get to choose a politician to represent you.

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Some post with a polling card on top

Voting in person

Before an election the council will send you a polling card. Polling is another name for voting. This card will tell you when the election is and where you can vote.

Election

The time when you get to choose a politician to represent you.

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Council

This is the local government where things are decided about the area you live in.

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Polling card

A card sent to people who are registered to vote. It tells them about when an election is going to happen and where they can go to vote.

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Polling

Another word for voting.

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Election

The time when you get to choose a politician to represent you.

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Vote

Choosing someone in an election, or choosing an answer to a question.

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A polling station with two clocks showing nine o'clock

On the day of the election you can go to the polling station, which is the name for the place people vote. This is usually in a local hall or school. You can usually vote up until 9pm.

Election

The time when you get to choose a politician to represent you.

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Polling station

This is a place like a school, hall or community centre where an election takes place.

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Vote

Choosing someone in an election, or choosing an answer to a question.

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A woman holding a polling card

You can take your polling card with you and give it to the people there. If you do not have your polling card you can tell the people at the polling station your name and address.

Polling card

A card sent to people who are registered to vote. It tells them about when an election is going to happen and where they can go to vote.

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Polling card

A card sent to people who are registered to vote. It tells them about when an election is going to happen and where they can go to vote.

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Polling station

This is a place like a school, hall or community centre where an election takes place.

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A ballot paper

You will then be given a ballot paper. A ballot paper is a list of names of the people you can vote for. Sometimes more than one election will be held on the same day.

Ballot paper

A piece of paper with a list of candidates. You mark a cross on this paper next to the name of the person you choose.

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Ballot paper

A piece of paper with a list of candidates. You mark a cross on this paper next to the name of the person you choose.

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Vote

Choosing someone in an election, or choosing an answer to a question.

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Election

The time when you get to choose a politician to represent you.

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A woman and man talking with a question mark in the man's speech bubble

The people at the polling station will help you by showing you what to do if you need them to.

Polling station

This is a place like a school, hall or community centre where an election takes place.

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A man filling out a ballot paper

Once you have your ballot paper you go to one of the polling booths. A polling booth is a place where you can vote in private.

Ballot paper

A piece of paper with a list of candidates. You mark a cross on this paper next to the name of the person you choose.

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Polling booth

This is a private place in a polling station, where you vote for someone in an election by putting a cross on a ballot paper.

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Polling booth

This is a private place in a polling station, where you vote for someone in an election by putting a cross on a ballot paper.

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A hand marking a cross in a box

To vote you put a cross in the box on the ballot paper next to the name of the person you want to vote for.

Ballot paper

A piece of paper with a list of candidates. You mark a cross on this paper next to the name of the person you choose.

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Vote

Choosing someone in an election, or choosing an answer to a question.

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A hand puting a slip into a ballot box

Then you fold up your ballot paper and put it in the ballot box.

Ballot paper

A piece of paper with a list of candidates. You mark a cross on this paper next to the name of the person you choose.

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Ballot box

The locked box you put your ballot paper in when you have voted.

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A locked ballot box

A ballot box is a locked box that holds all the marked ballot papers.

Ballot box

The locked box you put your ballot paper in when you have voted.

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Ballot paper

A piece of paper with a list of candidates. You mark a cross on this paper next to the name of the person you choose.

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A pile of ballot papers

When the voting is finished, the ballot boxes are taken to a place where the votes are counted.

Ballot box

The locked box you put your ballot paper in when you have voted.

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Vote

Choosing someone in an election, or choosing an answer to a question.

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A group of people outside the polling station

There are people there to make sure this is done fairly.

A woman with a rosette on and her hands in the air with a map in the background

The person with the most votes wins the election.

Vote

Choosing someone in an election, or choosing an answer to a question.

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Election

The time when you get to choose a politician to represent you.

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A woman with a rosette on pointing to herself with a local map in the background

The person who wins the election then becomes your councillor, MP or MEP, depending on what type of election it is.

Election

The time when you get to choose a politician to represent you.

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Councillor

Local politician.

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MP

Your MP is a politician who represents you when it comes to making decisions about things that affect the whole country.

You can vote to choose your MP at a General Election.

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MEP

MEPs are politicians you can vote for who represent you when it comes to making decisions about the European Union.

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Election

The time when you get to choose a politician to represent you.

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A man with a blue rosette on and a red rosette in a thought bubble

That person is your representative even if you did not vote for them.

Representative

Someone who acts on another person's behalf.

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Vote

Choosing someone in an election, or choosing an answer to a question.

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A woman wondering how to get to the polling station

Postal vote

If you do not want to go to the polling station to vote in person, you can ask to make a postal vote.

Polling station

This is a place like a school, hall or community centre where an election takes place.

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Postal vote

This is a ballot paper that is sent through the post. It means someone can vote at home.

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A house and a ballot paper

A postal vote means that you are sent a ballot paper to fill in at home.

Postal vote

This is a ballot paper that is sent through the post. It means someone can vote at home.

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Ballot paper

A piece of paper with a list of candidates. You mark a cross on this paper next to the name of the person you choose.

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A man with an envelope and a post box

You choose who you want to vote for, put a cross next to their name on the ballot paper and then send the ballot paper back to the council by post.

Vote

Choosing someone in an election, or choosing an answer to a question.

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Ballot paper

A piece of paper with a list of candidates. You mark a cross on this paper next to the name of the person you choose.

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Ballot paper

A piece of paper with a list of candidates. You mark a cross on this paper next to the name of the person you choose.

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Council

This is the local government where things are decided about the area you live in.

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