Voting in Bristol

On the 7th of May the people of Bristol will have the opportunity to have their say on how they are represented both locally and nationally in the first general election in five years.

Registered voters can vote by going to their local polling station in person, by postal vote, or by using a proxy.

Voters are urged to check their polling cards carefully to make sure they know which polling station to attend.  You do not need a polling card to vote.  If you are unsure about which polling station you are registered to, call the Council’s electoral services team on 0117 922 3400.  You can only vote at the polling station you've been registered to.

On Thursday, polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm. Last minute voters are reminded they must have their ballot paper in their hand by 10pm if they wish to vote.

Once inside the polling station, voters are required to tell polling staff their name and address so that their details can be checked against the electoral register. They will then be given their ballot paper for the Parliamentary election.  If you are in a ward which has local elections you will also receive an additional ballot paper.

Each ballot paper lists the candidates standing for election in their constituency or ward. Voters are asked to take their ballot paper to a polling booth, mark a cross (X) in the box to the right of the name of the candidate they wish to vote for, fold the ballot paper and put it in the ballot box.

Voters are asked not to write anything else on their ballot paper as this may make their vote invalid. Anyone with a disability requiring assistance in completing their ballot paper can take a carer with them, or polling station staff will be happy to help.  Only carers and children can accompany adults into the polling stations.

You must return your postal vote by 10pm on 7 May 2015. If it arrives later than this, your vote will not be counted. However, you can drop your postal vote off in person at your polling station or deliver it to B Bond, Smeaton Road. Residents are asked not to try and hand their vote in at any other locations.  This could mean that their vote is delayed and not counted.

Nicola Yates, Returning Officer for Bristol City Council, said: “It’s important that everyone in Bristol has the chance to have their say in this election.  If anyone needs any information about how or where they can vote they should get in touch with our electoral services.”

Votes for the general election will be counted overnight. Votes for the local elections will be counted the following day on Friday 8 May.

Declarations will be webcast live from the Council’s website.

There are 171 polling stations in Bristol.  A map of these can be found on our website: http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/council-and-democracy/polling-stations

Any other information about how to vote on the day can be found on our website: http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/council-and-democracy/how-vote.