Elections - voting
You can only vote in elections if your name is on the Register
of Electors.
The following people are allowed to vote:
- If you are eighteen years or over
- All British, Commonwealth, Irish and other European Union
citizens. (European citizens are allowed to vote in European and
Local Elections only)
- Overseas electors. (Overseas Electors are allowed to vote in
Parliamentary and European Elections only.)
- Members of HM Forces and their spouses
- Crown servants employed outside the United Kingdom
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 their chosen method of voting.
Electors who have opted to vote by post or proxy will receive a
card with the appropriate absent voting arrangements. All
other electors will receive a card giving details of the date of
the election, location of their polling station, the
hours of poll and contact details to arrange for an absent
vote if required. You do not need to take the poll card
to the polling station with you to be able to vote.
- For all Elections the hours of poll are 7am -10pm
- 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 a "X" against 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. Please contact the
Electoral Services Section who will advise which form you need to
complete.
Applying for a postal vote
To apply for a postal vote you can pick up an application form
at any of our Customer Service Centres or use the Electoral
Services contact details in the right hand column to
request a form.
You do not need a reason to have a postal vote. You can
choose to have your ballot paper sent to your home address or a
different address of your choice. If it is being sent
elsewhere, you must give a reason for this on your application
form. You must also state how long you wish to vote by
post. Following the introduction of new legislation, you must
now provide a specimen of your signature and your date of
birth. This is to help make postal voting more
secure.
Requests for postal votes to be sent abroad
Postal ballot packs can be sent out of the country.
However, due to the election timetable, they will only be sent
approximately one week before polling day. You need to
decide whether this is enough time for you to receive it, complete
it and send it back to us in time for it to be counted.
Can I still choose to vote at my polling station if I have a
postal vote?
No. When you have applied for a postal vote you cannot
vote in person at the polling station.
Completing your postal ballot pack
When you receive your pack you should:
- Mark your vote on the ballot paper
- Complete the declaration form as appropriate, remembering to
sign it within the grey box and complete your date of birth
- Seal your completed ballot paper in envelope 'A'
- Place envelope 'A' and your completed declaration in envelope
'B' and return it
- Make sure that your vote arrives back with us before 10pm on
election day. Any votes received after this time will be too
late to be counted
Full instructions will be supplied in the postal voting
pack.
What if I do not receive my pack or it is lost or spoilt?
You can apply for a replacement pack by calling in person to the
Electoral Services Section, Town Hall, Rochdale. You will
need to bring photographic proof of your identity before a
replacement can be issued, for example passport, photo driving
licence, bus permit, student card.
How is my postal vote counted?
Your ballot paper will be mixed with all the others for your
ward before counting begins, ensuring that your vote remains
secret.
Proxy Voting
What is proxy voting?
A proxy is someone you appoint to vote on your behalf at the
polling station if you cannot attend yourself. You can
collect an application form at any of our Customer Service Centres
or use the contact details, in the right hand column, to request a
form.
When applying for a proxy vote, you must provide a reason why
you want one e.g. you are away on holiday or you are in
hospital. If you want a proxy vote for longer than just the
next election, you must have one of the following resaons:
- You are an overseas or service voter
- You have a physical disability
- You are registered blind
- You are away from home due to your job or are on a course
- You have to travel by air or sea to get to your polling
station
In all cases (except if you are registered blind), someone has
to certify that your application is valid, for example your
employer or doctor.
What happens once I have applied?
- Your proxy will be sent a poll card before the election telling
them which station they have to go to
- Your proxy must go to this polling station to vote for
you. If they cannot get to your station, they can apply to
vote for you by post. They should contact the Electoral
Services Section for more details.
- You must let your proxy know how you want them to vote for you,
for example which party or candidate
- If you find that you are available to go to your polling
station on election day, you can still go and vote as long as your
proxy has not already done so, or has not applied to vote by
post.
For further information or assistance, please contact the
Electoral Services Section, using the contact details in the top
right hand column.