FAQs

“Polling districts” are geographical electoral areas into which wards, and constituencies, may be sub-divided.   In areas with parishes, each parish should consist of whole polling districts.

“Polling places” are the buildings or areas designated by the council where electors in a polling district go to vote in person.  

The polling place should in normal circumstances be situated within the polling district for which it is designated, but in some circumstances, for example where no suitable polling place can be found, then the polling place may be designated outside the polling district.   In some cases this may mean that more than one polling district is served by the same polling place.

“Polling stations” are the number of issuing desks in the building that is the designated polling place, which generally range from one to three.  The Returning Officer determines the number of polling stations depending on the electorate at a particular election.  Wherever possible there should be no more than 2,250 electors (excluding postal voters) allotted to a polling station.  

"Elector" is another way of saying voter. It is a person who has the right to vote in an election.

This consultation refers to in-person electors. This is an elector who can only vote in person at a polling station. It does not include someone who votes by post.