This Friday, one of the most important referendum votes will take place, and with thousands of newly registered voters that may not have ever seen the inside of a polling booth before, there are some important things to bear in mind to ensure nothing goes wrong. Here are some essential tips for voting on Friday, with what you need to bring and what you need to leave at home.
WHAT YOU NEED TO VOTE
ID
You need photo ID when you’re voting, so make sure you bring your passport, your driving licence, your student ID, or any other form of photographic identification.
Polling card
You should have received a polling card to your address by now to bring with you on the day of the vote. However, this is not absolutely essential. Don’t give up on voting just because you don’t have your polling card. If you haven’t received your polling card yet, or simply can’t find it, then check the register to make sure your name is there. Once that’s confirmed, simply bring your ID, along with a letter addressed to you, such as a utility bill or a bank statement as proof of your address.
A set time
Make sure you make a decision about when you’re going to vote and set aside time for it as if it were an appointment that you had to attend. If you leave it until Friday and decide that you’ll go “when you get a chance”, you run the risk of letting the day get away from you. The polling stations are open from 7am-10pm so there’s no excuse for not finding the time, but make sure you schedule it in to your day so that you stick to it.
Know your location
Remember, you can’t just vote anywhere, you have to go to your own polling station. If you’re not sure where it is, you can check the register.
WHAT NOT TO DO
Don’t wear badges
Some newly registered voters may not be aware of this but it’s important that you don’t wear “Yes Eqaulity”badges, T-shirts or other paraphernalia. There is a law against canvassing near polling stations, and things like badges, t-shirts and signs all count as items that encourage people to vote a certain way. To avoid any risks, just leave them at home when you head out to the polling station.
Don’t take selfies
This may seem obvious to some, but it’s not to everyone, and with the social media movement playing such a vital role in this referendum it’s important to remind voters, that taking pictures in a polling station as it can be seen as compromising the secrecy of the ballot. Aside from risking your own vote, you could even face a fine, so resist the temptation to take a “Vote Yes” selfie.
Don’t mix them up
Remember, there are two referendum votes taking place on Friday, one for marriage, and one for the age limit in the Presidential election. If you’re voting ‘Yes’ for one and ‘No’ for the other you should take extra care to ensure that you mark the right one. Read the top of each ballot carefully before you mark them.
Don’t put anything other than an X
This is another one that may seem obvious, but make sure you mark your vote with an ‘X’ and nothing else. Your vote probably won’t be spoiled if you mark it with a tick instead, but don’t take the risk. It says mark your vote, with an ‘X’, so make sure you do just that.
Image credits: Image 1: Call It Love Photography | Image 2: Pinterest | Image 3: Aaron and Jillian Photography via Equally Wed