How to Ensure You Can Cast Your Vote in the 2019 General Election

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A few weeks ago I published this post about how to get a postal vote. If you did this, I hope you have sent it off by now. If not, you will need to send it (or take it in) as soon as possible.

  • If you have been given a postal vote you won’t be able to vote in a polling station, although you can take your postal vote there in person if it’s too late to post it.

Today I want to talk about how to ensure you are able to vote on the day if you don’t have a postal vote. I am particularly addressing older individuals today, since they are the people for whom this blog is primarily intended.

The bad news if you have to cast your vote in person on Thursday is that the weather forecast is pretty dire, with heavy rain and even snow forecast in some areas. So I thought it might be useful to share a few thoughts on how best you can go to vote, while minimizing the risk and inconvenience.

The name and address of your local polling station will be on your poll card, which you should have received by now. This is the only place you can go to vote. It’s a good idea to take the card with you so that the clerks can find you on the register. But it’s not compulsory to take it if you have misplaced it. In that case you will simply need to provide your name and address. There is no need to bring proof of ID with you in England, Wales or Scotland, although this is a requirement in Northern Ireland.

Here then are some top tips for getting safely to and from the polling station on Thursday…

Going to Vote

  • At this time of year it gets dark very early – sunset on Thursday 12th December will be at about 3.50 pm – so try to get to the polling station earlier in the day, while it is still light.
  • Plan your journey in advance. If you know the best route to the polling station, this will make your journey less stressful, especially if the weather is bad.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance. See if a friend, relative or neighbour can accompany you to the polling station or give you a lift.
  • You could also get a group of friends and neighbours together for the journey. If the weather is bad you could share a taxi together.
  • If you are going in a car, plan where you will park in advance. If you have a Blue Badge, you can of course park on yellow lines for up to 3 hours, so long as there are no other restrictions. But it is better to park in designated disabled bays if these are available.
  • Otherwise you may be able to take advantage of the Just Park and Vote promotion that is being run by the company JustPark in association with former MP Alan Johnson. This allows anyone using the JustPark app to find a parking space near their local polling station and park there free of charge for up to 30 minutes. More information can be found here.
  • If you are stuck for a way of getting to the polling station, you could contact the local office of the party you intend to vote for. They are all keen to get their voters out and will help you if they can, perhaps by putting you in touch with a volunteer who can give you a lift. The Conservatives have a dedicated website for this purpose at https://action.conservatives.com/vote/. The other parties don’t appear to have equivalent sites, but the national websites of Labour and the Liberal Democrats (and the other political parties) will try to help if you get in touch using their contact forms or phone numbers.
  • Finally, at the risk of stating the obvious, wrap up warm and take an umbrella with you. Casting your vote is important, but so too is staying healthy.

Helping Older People to Vote

If you have older (and/or disabled) friends, relatives or neighbours, it is a good idea to check if they wish to vote, and if so to offer your assistance.

A lift to the polling station may be appreciated. Or you could simply offer to accompany them on the journey there and back. This applies especially if they have mobility difficulties, as the roads and pavements may be wet and slippery, increasing the risk of falls.

Whatever your political preference, I urge you to express this by voting on Thursday. As I said in my earlier post, it is important that the voices of older people are heard by law-makers, and that their views are given due weight.

I hope that by following the tips and advice above you are able to cast your vote safely and with a minimum of hassle on Thursday.

As always, if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below.

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