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| How do I vote in the UK general election? What you need to know | How do I vote in the UK general election? What you need to know |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| About 2.3 million people have registered to vote since the snap election was called just under five weeks ago. Registrations were recorded at a faster rate than before the EU referendum, including 1.76 million registrations by those aged 18 to 34. | About 2.3 million people have registered to vote since the snap election was called just under five weeks ago. Registrations were recorded at a faster rate than before the EU referendum, including 1.76 million registrations by those aged 18 to 34. |
| Here’s everything you need to know about casting your vote on Thursday 8 June. | Here’s everything you need to know about casting your vote on Thursday 8 June. |
| Is it too late to register to vote? | Is it too late to register to vote? |
| Yes, it is too late to register to vote in the general election. | Yes, it is too late to register to vote in the general election. |
| But you may already be registered at a previous address, or if you are a student you could be registered at your home or term-time address. | But you may already be registered at a previous address, or if you are a student you could be registered at your home or term-time address. |
| To find out if you are on the electoral register and can vote, you should contact the local council. You can find out its contact details by entering your postcode here. | |
| Do I need my polling card to vote? | Do I need my polling card to vote? |
| No, you do not need your polling card to vote. | No, you do not need your polling card to vote. |
| If you are on the electoral register because you have previously registered to vote, just turn up at the local polling station where you registered. (To find out where to vote, see the next question). | If you are on the electoral register because you have previously registered to vote, just turn up at the local polling station where you registered. (To find out where to vote, see the next question). |
| If you have not received your polling card, you should call your electoral registration office to check. Here’s where to find its contact details. | |
| Where should you go to vote? | Where should you go to vote? |
| Most people will vote in person at their local polling station. This is usually a school or local community centre. Your polling card will show the location of your polling station. | Most people will vote in person at their local polling station. This is usually a school or local community centre. Your polling card will show the location of your polling station. |
| If you don’t have your polling card you can enter your postcode here to find out the number of your local authority, which can help. | |
| Do I need to take ID to the polling station? | Do I need to take ID to the polling station? |
| You do not need to show ID to vote in England, Scotland and Wales. You just need to tell polling staff your name and address. They will then cross your name off the list and give you a ballot paper. | You do not need to show ID to vote in England, Scotland and Wales. You just need to tell polling staff your name and address. They will then cross your name off the list and give you a ballot paper. |
| If you’re voting in Northern Ireland, you must show photo ID. | If you’re voting in Northern Ireland, you must show photo ID. |
| Only the following forms of ID will be accepted at polling stations in Northern Ireland: | Only the following forms of ID will be accepted at polling stations in Northern Ireland: |
| A UK, Irish or EEA driving licence (photographic part) (provisional accepted) | A UK, Irish or EEA driving licence (photographic part) (provisional accepted) |
| A UK, Irish or EU passport (note: EU passports are not accepted at UK parliamentary elections) | |
| An Electoral Identity Card | An Electoral Identity Card |
| A Translink Senior SmartPass | A Translink Senior SmartPass |
| A Translink 60+ SmartPass | A Translink 60+ SmartPass |
| A Translink War Disabled SmartPass | A Translink War Disabled SmartPass |
| A Translink Blind Person’s SmartPass | A Translink Blind Person’s SmartPass |
| Your photographic identification does not need to be current, so even if it is out of date you can still use it to vote. The presiding officer will have the final say over whether or not the photograph matches that of the person intending to vote. Find out more about voting in Northern Ireland. | |
| What happens inside the polling station? | What happens inside the polling station? |
| Tell the staff inside the polling station your name and address so they can check that you are on the electoral register. You can show them your polling card if you like, but you do not need the card to vote. | Tell the staff inside the polling station your name and address so they can check that you are on the electoral register. You can show them your polling card if you like, but you do not need the card to vote. |
| The staff at the polling station will give you a ballot paper listing the parties and candidates you can vote for. | The staff at the polling station will give you a ballot paper listing the parties and candidates you can vote for. |
| Take your ballot paper into a polling booth so that no one can see how you vote. The ballot paper will tell you how to cast your vote. Do not write anything else on the paper or your vote may not be counted. | Take your ballot paper into a polling booth so that no one can see how you vote. The ballot paper will tell you how to cast your vote. Do not write anything else on the paper or your vote may not be counted. |
| Filling in your ballot paper | Filling in your ballot paper |
| Follow the instructions on top of the ballot paper. Mark your preference with a cross. Fold your ballot paper in half, and then put it in the ballot box. | Follow the instructions on top of the ballot paper. Mark your preference with a cross. Fold your ballot paper in half, and then put it in the ballot box. |
| Although official rules call for a cross, according to a spokesman for the Electoral Commission, returning officers can exercise discretion where “they are satisfied that a preference has been expressed”. Any clear expression of preference for a specific candidate is a legal vote. | Although official rules call for a cross, according to a spokesman for the Electoral Commission, returning officers can exercise discretion where “they are satisfied that a preference has been expressed”. Any clear expression of preference for a specific candidate is a legal vote. |
| Can I get someone else to vote for me? | Can I get someone else to vote for me? |
| You must vote yourself, or apply for a proxy or emergency proxy vote. | You must vote yourself, or apply for a proxy or emergency proxy vote. |
| Voting by proxy is when someone else votes on your behalf. It is now too late to apply to vote by normal proxy. The deadline was 5pm on Wednesday 31 May. | Voting by proxy is when someone else votes on your behalf. It is now too late to apply to vote by normal proxy. The deadline was 5pm on Wednesday 31 May. |
| You can apply to vote by emergency proxy up until 5pm on election day. | You can apply to vote by emergency proxy up until 5pm on election day. |
| You can only apply for an emergency proxy if: | You can only apply for an emergency proxy if: |
| You have been called away unexpectedly for work. | You have been called away unexpectedly for work. |
| You have a medical emergency. This emergency must relate to you. You can’t get an emergency proxy due to a medical emergency involving a friend or relative. | You have a medical emergency. This emergency must relate to you. You can’t get an emergency proxy due to a medical emergency involving a friend or relative. |
| In both cases, you must have become aware that you won’t be able to go to the polling station after 5pm on Wednesday 31 May. | |
| The person you wish to appoint as your proxy must be registered individually. A person cannot be a proxy for more than two people at any one election or referendum, unless he or she is a close relative. | |
| Can I vote by post? | Can I vote by post? |
| No, it is too late to post your vote now. Your ballot paper needs to be returned by 5pm on polling day. | No, it is too late to post your vote now. Your ballot paper needs to be returned by 5pm on polling day. |
| If you already have your ballot paper, because you applied for a postal vote but cannot post it in time, you can hand it in on polling day to the returning officer at your local council, or drop it off at a polling station. | If you already have your ballot paper, because you applied for a postal vote but cannot post it in time, you can hand it in on polling day to the returning officer at your local council, or drop it off at a polling station. |
| In the future, you can apply for a postal vote but will need to send your application to the electoral registration office 11 days before the election. | In the future, you can apply for a postal vote but will need to send your application to the electoral registration office 11 days before the election. |
| Who should I vote for? | Who should I vote for? |
| Here’s our guide to the key pledges made by the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and the SNP. | Here’s our guide to the key pledges made by the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and the SNP. |
| Take our quiz to discover which party best matches your own views. | Take our quiz to discover which party best matches your own views. |
| Use our tactical voting guide to find out how to best make your vote count. | Use our tactical voting guide to find out how to best make your vote count. |
| And here’s the Guardian’s view. | And here’s the Guardian’s view. |