General election questions answered

With the general election taking place on 4 July, Wiltshire Council has answered some commonly asked questions it has been sent by residents eager to have their say trouble-free.

Terence Herbert, Returning Officer for Wiltshire, said: "There's not long left until the election, so inevitably people are keen that they have everything they need in order to be able to vote without any issues. We have been receiving high levels of applications from residents and our team is working hard behind the scenes to process everything to ensure people can have their say on 4 July.

"We're of course happy to help but for anyone with queries I'd urge them to visit our website and the Electoral Commission website prior to getting in touch as the chances are the information will be there. If not though, we're here to support people and will respond as quickly as we can."

More information about the general election can be found at General Election 2024 or Electoral Commission: Voting and elections (opens new window).

Here's a round-up of some of the recent questions that have been sent to Wiltshire Council and the answers:

I have put a cross in the wrong box on my postal vote. What do I do?

Cross out the incorrect vote and mark the candidate you want to vote for. Do not sign or initial your correction as this will invalidate your ballot. As long as your voting intention is clear then it will be counted.

When sending back my postal vote, what piece of paper do I put in envelope A?

Envelope A is for your completed ballot paper. Full instructions are issued with the postal vote pack.

Do I need to put a stamp on my postal vote pack to send it back?

No - postal vote packs include a pre-paid reply envelope so can simply be sent back

Can I use a blue pen to complete my postal vote?

Yes that's fine.

If I can't post my postal votes can I hand them in?  

If you can't send your postal vote in the post, you can only hand it in at County Hall reception where you will be asked to fill out a form upon arrival. Alternatively, you can drop off your postal vote at your polling station on polling day, but please be mindful that polling stations will be busy and you will have some paperwork to complete. Any postal votes put in the post boxes at Bourne Hill (Salisbury), County Hall (Trowbridge) or Monkton Park (Chippenham) will be rejected.

I've signed my partner's/flatmate's Postal Vote Statement by mistake - what shall I do?

Cross it out and sign in the box or underneath the box.

I've written the wrong date on my Postal Vote Statement? (it should be date of birth)

Cross through the incorrect date and write the correct date of birth underneath the boxes.

When will postal vote packs be sent out?

Electors who had a postal vote in place before 3 June 2024 have been sent their postal vote.

Anyone who applied for a postal vote between 3 June 2024 and the postal vote deadline of 19 June 2024 will be sent their postal vote around 27 June 2024.

When will my poll card arrive?

For those registered, poll cards have been sent out in the last couple of days and if they haven't arrived yet they will soon.

Do I need my poll card to vote?

No, you don't need it to vote but it may help speed up the process when you arrive at the polling station. The poll card contains useful information such as details of your local polling station and voter ID details.

Anyone registered to vote as an anonymous elector must take their poll card with them to the polling station.

How can I find out where my local polling station is?

Visit Find your polling station (opens new window) and enter your postcode.

What voter ID is accepted?

Accepted forms of photo ID include passports, photographic driving licences, biometric immigration documents, and certain concessionary travel passes. A comprehensive list can be found at Electoral commission - voter ID (opens new window).

Other postal vote information 

• If someone has not received their postal vote pack they can contact Wiltshire Council or go to the council offices with ID and collect a replacement during office hours 9am-5pm on 3 July or polling day (4 July). We advise people to contact us as early as possible though and give themselves enough time to collect the pack.
• We can post another one out on 3 July but due to timescales it may be better to collect in person.
• If people do need to post their postal vote pack back on 3 July we recommend they post it in a priority post box, as these are collected later https://www.royalmail.com/services-near-you#/ (opens new window).
• If someone has only just received their postal vote pack or haven't posted it back yet, they can hand-deliver it to County Hall, Trowbridge during office hours (9am to 5pm) on 3 July or 4 July.
• Alternatively, people can hand into any polling station within their specific constituency (i.e. so people can't hand a Salisbury postal vote in Chippenham). They will need to complete a form if returning to County Hall or a polling station in their constituency, which will be provided. Maximum postal votes people can hand in is five for other people plus their own. People MUST NOT put postal votes into any council office post boxes though as they will be rejected.