Easy read guides to voting

Main Panel Title

How to do your postal vote

A step-by-step video guide for electors who vote by post.

 

How to vote at your polling station

An easy read guide for electors who vote in-person at their local polling station.

An easy read PDF version can be download by clicking on this link

 

Understanding your poll card

An easy read guide for all electors to understand their polling card.

An easy read PDF version can be download by clicking on this link

Image of a person with questions What is a poll card
Image of a poll card arriving

You’ll be sent your poll card just before an election or referendum.

It is the size of a postcard.
Image of a ballot box with the geography of the UK behind

An election is when people vote to choose people to run parliament or councils.

It’s a way for everyone to have a say in what happens in their town or country.
Image of a 'Yes' and 'No' ballot

A referendum is a special kind of vote where people are asked a big question, to help decide something important.

Everyone gets to have their say by voting.
Image of a pictoral poll card Your poll card will tell you information like when to vote and at which polling station.
Image of a polling station A polling station is a place where people go to vote.
Image of a person seeking assistance

If you need any help or want to find out if your polling station is accessible, please contact us.

Email: elections@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

Phone: 0300 123 4000 then choose option 7.
Image of enlarging font

If you need your poll card in large print please contact us.

Email: elections@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

Phone: 0300 123 4000 then choose option 7.

 

 

Image of the front of a poll card
 

Image of a person with questions This booklet will show you an example of a poll card and tell you what each part means.
Image of questions around a voting booth This part will say what you are voting for in the election or referendum.
Image of a calendar showing an election This part will say what day the election is taking place.
Image of a pictoral poll card This part will say what voting information you need to know like:
Image of people in voting booths and a calendar
  • The day you will go to the polling station to vote.
Image of people in a voting booth and clocks showing 7am and 10pm
  • What time you can vote at a polling station, which is between 7:00am to 10:00pm.
Image of a polling station and a map
  • Where you need to go to vote at a polling station.

 

Image of poll card highlighting contact details
 

Image of a house and an addressed envelope This part will say your name and address.
Image of a government building and contact icons This part will say the details of your local council.
Image of a laptop and QR code

The website address for Babergh is:

www.babergh.gov.uk/elections
Image of a government building and an email icon

The email address for Babergh is:

elections@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk
Image of a two people having a phone conversation

The phone number for the helpline is:

0300 123 4000 then choose option 7.
Image of a person with questions You can contact them if you need help voting.

 

Image of the back of a poll card, highlighting photographic identification details
 

Image of a person holding the back of a poll card The back side of your poll card has the following information on it:
Image of example photographic identification

This part will list different types of photographic identification.

Photographic identification is a document or card that proves who you are.
Image of a person holding photopgrahic identification

You must bring one type of photographic identification to be able to vote.

For example, a passport, blue badge or bus pass.
Image of a person applying for a Voter Authority Certificate and a calendar icon This part will tell you the date you need to apply by to get a Voter Authority Certificate for this election.
Image of an example Voter Authority Certificate

A Voter Authority Certificate proves who you are.

You can get it if you do not have any other photographic identification.
Image of a laptop for the 'My vote, My voice' website

You can look at this easy read for more information at:

www.myvotemyvoice.org.uk/voting/register-to-vote/voter-id-and-how-to-apply-for-the-voter-id-certificate/

 

Image of the back of a poll card, highlighting the postal vote and proxy vote details
 

Image of a polling station crossed through This part tells you what to do if you are away or cannot go to the polling station on the day of the election.
Image of a postal vote pack infront of a postbox

You can vote by post. If you choose this:

  • You will get your paper ballot sent to your home.
  • You will fill it in at home.
  • You will send it back in the post.
Image of a laptop showing the Gov dot UK website Apply for a postal vote online at:
www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote
Image of a proxy voting on behalf of an elector Or, you can do a proxy vote.
A proxy vote is when you give permission to a trusted person to vote for you at a polling station.
Image of a laptop showing the Gov dot UK website Apply for a proxy vote online at:
www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote
Image of a person applying for a postal or proxy and date and time icons If you need to do a postal vote or proxy vote, apply before the time and date on this part of the poll card.

 

Image of the back of a poll card, highlighting the emergency proxy details
 

Image of a polling station crossed through This part tells you what to do if, on the day of the election, you are unable to vote at a polling station because:
Image of a person with a medical emergency
  • You have a medical emergency on the day of the election.
Image of a person at work and a polling station crossed through
  • You cannot go to the polling station because of work reasons.
Image of a person holding photographic identification crossed through
  • You cannot use the photographic identification you were going to bring.
Image of a person on the phone with an exclamation mark

Call the helpline straight away to find out what you need to do.

Phone: 0300 123 4000 then choose option 7.
Image of a person on the phone, with date and time icons You need to call before the time and date on this part of the poll card.

 

Image of the back of a poll card, highlighting the return address
 

Image of a government building This part tells you the return address.
Image of a house and addressed envelope, both crossed through You may need to return a poll card if the person who it is addressed to does not live there.

 

You can contact us in a number of different ways.

Website: www.babergh.gov.uk/elections

Email: elections@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

Helpline: 0300 123 4000 then choose option 7

This document was adapted into easy read by Ace Anglia.

The ACE Anglia Photosymbols licence