You will only be able to vote at that election if your name has been added to the register of electors not later than 12 working days prior to the election date. Therefore it is recommended that you register to vote as soon as possible.
Before election day, you will be sent a poll card which states the date, time, and poll station for the election. You don't need to take the card with you to vote, but it is recommended to as it helps speed the process up.
Please note: your nearest polling station may not be the one you are eligible to vote in, so always check the details on your polling card or use the online polling station finder.
Find my nearest polling station (opens new window)
Why should you vote
Elected officials, from Members of Parliament to councillors, make important decisions, policies, and legislation that affect the lives of British residents and citizens. Voting for these officials gives the public a say in these decisions.
Some elections are won or lost by very narrow margins. The vote of just a few people can decide who becomes elected, who can form governments, and how people's lives will be affected.
It is important that the people who are elected represent their constituents properly. Vote for who you would like to see make decisions on your behalf. If you don't like how your elected officials have represented you, you have the right to vote for someone else in the next election.
Election day
When you arrive at the polling station, give your name, address, and photo ID to the poll clerk. If you have your poll card, you can hand it to them at this point.
Once your name has been found on the register, the poll clerk will ask you to state/confirm your name and address. They will then write your elector number against a list of numbers relating to the ballot paper numbers and detach a ballot paper for your use.
The elections you are eligible to participate in will depend on your nationality.
The number of votes you have will vary with different elections.
- for a general election, there is 1 Member of Parliament to elect, so you will have 1 vote.
- for council elections, the number of councillors per ward varies between 1 and 3 so you will have 1, 2 or 3 votes depending on which ward you live in.
- for the Mayor of London and London Assembly, the voting process is different and specific information will be publicised when these elections take place.
After you have received your ballot paper, please check that it has an official mark and ballot paper number. Take it to one of the polling booths so that you can cast your vote in private. The secrecy of the vote is important, and nobody is allowed to tell you who to vote for or look over your shoulder when you are voting.
You should mark the ballot paper with a cross (X) in the right-hand box against the name of the person or persons you wish to vote for. Some names will have a logo or symbol against them to show which political party they represent.
Do not make any other mark on the ballot paper. Anything that could reveal your identity will make your vote invalid.
When you're done filling in your ballot paper, fold it in two so that your vote or votes remain secret and place it in the ballot box.
If you make a mistake on the ballot paper, you can cross through what you have done or ask for another ballot paper. Speak to a member of staff at the polling station if you need help.
Tellers
There may be people with rosette pins standing at the door of the polling station. They are known as tellers, and they act on behalf of the political parties who wish to know whether the people who promised to vote for them have actually turned out. They will ask for your elector number so that this can be checked against their records. It is your choice whether you give this information or hand them your poll card, you are not required to do so.
Tellers are allowed at the discretion of the Returning Officer. They have strict instructions to ask for numbers after electors have voted as stopping them on the way in could be disturbing to some people who might be deterred from proceeding. If they cause any problems, please report them to the Presiding Officer in charge of the polling station.
Type of elections
Hillingdon holds three different types of elections.
Local government elections for Hillingdon Council and the Greater London Authority:
- elections for Hillingdon Council are held every four years on the first Thursday in May. The next election will take place in May 2026.
- elections for the Mayor of London and the Greater London Assembly are also held every 4 years. The next election will take place in May 2024.
Parliamentary elections for the House of Commons:
- Parliamentary elections are held a maximum of five years apart, though they can be called at any time. The actual date is set by the Prime Minister. The last General Election was on 12 December 2019.
- Referendums, at which you will be asked a specific question on a particular issue. For example, the Brexit choice was decided by a referendum.
Your vote is secret
Secrecy of voting is one of the cornerstones of our democracy. The poll booths are designed to make sure that nobody but you knows which candidate you have voted for. Once you have marked your ballot paper, you should fold it so that nobody else can see how you have voted, and then put it in the ballot box without showing anybody how you have voted. The ballot box is locked and sealed by the Presiding Officer at the start of polling day, and is further sealed at the end of polling, and will not be opened until the start of the count.
Who will be standing?
At election time, a simple list of candidates will be available on the Elections webpage. Political parties or candidates may send you information at home in the run up to election day.