**You don't need your polling card to vote** Let's keep this near the top

[vesela]

You don't need your polling card to vote - if you don't have it, just turn up at the polling station and tell them your name and address. You don't need ID unless you're in Northern Ireland.

More details here:
www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/general_election_faq.aspx

If you don't know where your polling station is, check your local council's website or give them a call.

Let's try and keep this near the top so noone misses out on voting

bump

was just reminding DH about this a minute ago when he was looking for his

yes and if you haven't had your card at all, if you ring they'll be able to tell you (if you're registered to vote) where to go as well

What do you do with your kids when you vote? Do they let them come in with you? Never took them before, but will have to today.

i always take my kids, if they are school age its interesting/important for them to go IMO

.

Children can come with you.

Bump.

And take children with you - and explain the process to them. Make it seem a normal thing that people do, so that voting is part of their "mental furniture".

bump, just got back from my poling station, was quing for 15 minutes i've never had to queue before!

I had to queue this morning too, never had to before. Where I live usually only has a 40% turnout for any sort of voting so I suppose having to queue is a good sign.

bump and voting walkthrough for nervous first timers

"The right of voting for representatives is the primary right by which other rights are protected." Thomas Paine

bump. No queue in our village.

I will bump for silly people who didn't know this......some of whom have been voting since 1980s

It's the fact that they looko so official, though (well, they are, but you know what I mean). I'm not surprised people think you need them. (according to the Electoral Commission, 4 in 10 people think you do).

Although I once set out intending to vote in a council election, was walking down the street and realised I had no idea where to go. This was only 2002 but it wasn't automatic to me to look it up online (or ask the neighbours). So, no vote. So I can see the rationale behind sending them out.

I've lost my polling card, but I'm 51 and know I don't need it.

You just walk in, give them your name and address and they'll give you a paper which you take to a booth, put a cross on it, shove it in a box et voila!

I'm taking dd with me as she wants to see how it's done, so I have to wait until after school, which is driving me mad as I want to vote NOW!!!

Bump! I nearly passed out with apoplexy when my mate said she didn't vote in the last GE because she had lost hers. Thank goodness she mentioned it before this one!

I didn't realise this either, but it makes sense. I'll check in every now and then to bump if you like.

[pretends to work]

Ooh, I didn't know that. Presumably it doesn't matter then that it's been converted into a paper plane.

Bump

bump

Bump. I didn't know this.

And if you have a postal vote and haven't posted it yet, you can hand it in at the polling station.

And if you have made a mistake on your postal ballot paper you can get a new one up until 5pm today.

bump

I'm still registered at my old address - can I give them that address and still vote?