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How do you vote in a general election?
Adults across the UK will be voting in a general election on Thursday 4 July 2024.
They will choosing someone to be the Member of Parliament, or MP, for their area.
Those elected MPs will then represent the area - known as a constituency - in the UK Parliament in London.
Let's find out more about how people vote, and what happens on voting day.
Who can vote in a general election?
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People in the UK can only vote in general elections when they turn 18.
For the 2024 election, people need to make sure that they have registered to vote before 18 June.
According to the Electoral Commission - the group that oversees elections in the UK - only British citizens, a qualifying Commonwealth citizen or a Republic of Ireland citizen with a UK address can vote.
All British citizens who live abroad can register to vote, as long as they are not legally excluded from voting.
How do you vote in a general election?
There are three different ways that people can vote:
- In a polling station
- By post
- Nominating someone to vote for you - known as voting by proxy
In a UK general election, voters can only vote for one candidate.
If a voter chooses more than one candidate on their ballot paper, then their ballot paper is not counted.
If a voter has left their ballot blank, or if who they voted for is unclear, then the ballot paper isn't counted either
What is a polling station and what happens inside?
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Voting in a polling station is the most popular way to vote, and they only open on voting day.
Polling stations are often places like schools or community centres that are turned into a voting station on the big day.
When the voter goes inside, they have to show a valid kind of photo ID, like a passport or a driving licence.
They're then given a ballot paper, on which they choose their candidate and mark their vote.
The vote is done in a private booth, because your vote is yours and you don't have to tell anyone who you vote for.
To vote, there's a grid of names, and voters clearly mark who you want to win. This is usually done by marking a cross with a pen or pencil, in a box next to the person they choose.
Everyone then puts their ballot paper into a big ballot box, which is sealed, with a hole in the top and that's is where all the votes are collected before they go off to be counted.
What is a postal vote?
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Another way that people can vote is by post.
When you register to vote, you can choose to register for a postal vote. If you do, before the general election, you'll get a letter with a ballot paper in.
Postal voters have to make sure they make their choice and send their ballot paper by post by a certain deadline, before the general election day.
What is voting by proxy?
Voting by proxy is when you choose someone to go and vote for you.
You have to register beforehand and decide who you want to do your vote.
You then tell them who you want to vote for, and they go along to the polling station for you.
How are votes counted in a general election?
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Counting all the votes is one of the big moments in any election.
The team of counters gather all the ballot papers together in a count centre - often this is in a large room, like a leisure centre or community hall.
Votes don't start being counted until the deadline for voting has ended.
Usually counting starts right away and can take all night.
But some areas love to be the first to get a result, so they try to do it as quickly as they can.
Once all the votes have been counted, the total number of votes, and the winner - the new MP - is announced.