Poll cards

Poll cards are sent to registered electors who are eligible to vote in an upcoming election or referendum. They confirm the elector's current method of voting and state the relevant deadlines to make any changes.

Poll cards for those voting in person will show the polling station address, along with a map of the area.

Poll cards for postal voters will show the address that the postal vote will be sent to, along with an indication of when it is likely to be sent.

Poll cards are for information purposes only.

Taking your poll card to the polling station

Showing your poll card to staff inside the polling station will make it easier for them to locate your name on the register, however you do not need to take your poll card with you.

Just go along to your allocated polling station on polling day between 7am and 10pm. The staff will ask for your name and address, check your photo ID and the register, and then mark your name off the list before issuing your ballot paper(s).

If you don't receive a poll card

If you have not received a poll card and believe you are eligible to vote in an upcoming election or referendum, contact Electoral Services to check.

A poll card will not be sent to you if:

• You are not registered to vote (applications to register to vote must reach us by midnight, 12 working days before an election or referendum).
• You are registered but you are not eligible to vote in the election or referendum. This may be because your nationality only allows you to vote in certain types of elections or you may not live in the area that is voting.

Changing details on your poll card

If you have recently made a change to the details we hold (e.g. change of voting method, name change), your poll card may have been produced before the change took effect. Written confirmation of the change will be sent to you once your request has been processed.

View how to change your details on the Electoral Register.

If you would like to change your method of voting, take note of the following deadlines: 

• Postal vote applications (including postal proxy) and requests to change existing postal vote arrangements (including cancellations) must reach us by 5pm, 11 working days before an election
• New proxy vote applications (excluding emergency proxies and postal proxies) must reach us by 5pm, 6 working days before an election

Contact Electoral Services if you have any queries.

Previous residents

If you have received a poll card for someone who no longer lives at your address, please complete our online removal request form so we can mark the name for deletion. You can then securely dispose of the poll card.