Easy read guides to voting

Main Panel Title

Understanding your poll 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.