Local elections are taking place tomorrow (Thursday 2 May). There is also a poll to elect the Police and Crime Commissioner for the Hampshire & Isle of Wight policing area.
Councillors make important decisions about your local area, so make sure you vote and have your say! Here’s a round-up of what you need to know on election day.
Accepted photo ID needed
Voters must show photo identification when voting in person at elections.
There are lots of different types of ID that will be accepted, including passports, driving licences and Blue Badges - find out if your photo ID is on the approved list. You can also use an accepted form of photo ID if it’s out of date, as long as it still looks like you. The name on your ID should be the same name you used to register to vote.
Polling station staff will ask to see your ID, check that it’s accepted, and that it looks like you. If you arrive at a polling station without an accepted form of photo ID, you will be asked to return with ID that is accepted to enable you to cast your vote.
Your poll card
Poll cards have been sent out to eligible borough voters. Your polling card will have details of what you need to know when you vote in person, including the address of your polling station. You don’t need to take it with you to vote – just an accepted form of ID.
Your polling station
When you vote in person, you go to the polling station allocated to you based on your address on the electoral register. Before you go to vote, check where your polling station is. It might not be the closest one to where to you live, and it might have changed since the last time you voted.
Details of your polling station will be written on your poll card, and you can only vote at the polling station location on your card.
You can also check the location of your polling station by visiting wheredoivote.co.uk
If you’re not sure what to do when you get there, or need any help, just ask the staff at the polling station; they will be happy to assist you. You can also watch our video of what to expect.
Remember – the use of cameras and electronic devices with cameras is not permitted inside the polling stations. You may accidentally reveal how someone has voted.
Polling station opening times
Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm on polling day.
They can get busy, particularly towards the end of the day. If there’s a queue at your polling station, you will be able to vote as long as you joined the queue before 10pm.
Who is standing for election?
A full list of candidates, which party they are standing for, and which ward they are standing in can be found on our website or by visiting whocanivotefor.co.uk/ and entering your postcode.
Postal Votes
There are new rules around the handling of postal votes, which means that the easiest way for you to return your postal vote is via a Royal Mail post box. Even if you put your postal vote in the Royal Mail post box on the day of the election, we may still be able to include your vote.
If you haven't been able to get to a post box to return your Postal Vote by post, you can hand it in to the council offices before 5pm or any polling station before 10pm to a person authorised to receive it. You will need to complete a form in order to hand in your postal vote and the postal votes of up to five other people.
Emergency Proxy Vote
The deadline for applying for a proxy vote (appointing someone to cast your vote for you) has now passed. But in certain circumstances - where an emergency occurred after the deadline that means you can’t vote in person - you can apply for an emergency proxy up to 5pm on polling day.
This must be something that you weren’t aware of before the normal proxy vote deadline.
If your Voter Authority Certificate (VAC) is lost, stolen, or damaged, you can apply for a temporary VAC to use on polling day. You will need to contact Havant Borough Council's Electoral Services before 5pm on Thursday 2 May.
Election results - how to find out who has won
Voting closes at 10pm on Thursday 2 May. All the votes will be verified and then counted overnight. The results will be announced as they happen on the council's website.