Guidance for Returning Officers administering Local Government Elections in England

Print full guidance

Information for voters

Polling station notices

You must produce and display the ‘Guidance for voters’ notice and the ‘Instructions for voters’ notice.1 The contents and display requirements of these notices are prescribed in legislation.2

The ‘Guidance for voters’ notice is required by law to be printed in conspicuous characters and exhibited inside and outside of the polling station.3 The ‘Instructions for voters’ notice is required by law to be exhibited in every polling booth.4

You must also display a large notice inside each polling station which contains details of the documents the voter needs to produce when applying for a ballot paper:5

  • in the case of an elector (other than a person registered anonymously) or a proxy, the forms of acceptable photographic ID  as prescribed in legislation
  • in the case of an elector registered anonymously, the elector's official poll card with an anonymous elector's document showing the same electoral number as shown on the official poll card

A statement should also be provided on the notice that further proof of identity may be required to resolve any discrepancy between the name of the voter on the electoral register and the name on the photographic ID  that has been provided.6  

You will need to ensure that the notices you provide for each polling station include the relevant instructions for all polls that electors at that polling station are voting in.

Although there is no specific requirement in law for an ‘instructions for voters’ notice to be displayed inside each polling booth at a local authority mayoral election, you should still provide such a notice and instruct polling station staff to display a copy of it in every polling booth.

Use of English in polling stations

When you brief polling station staff, you should make clear that only English should be used when assisting or giving instructions to electors in polling stations. This ensures transparency in proceedings, and enables any observers or polling agents present in the polling station to monitor the voting process. 

Some voters may need assistance in another language because of their limited English language skills. You should consider what support you are able to provide to those voters in your area, such as providing translations of the polling station notices. 

In some exceptional cases the translated notices may not be sufficient or appropriate. For example, a voter may have low levels of literacy or may have a question that falls outside of what is covered by the notices. In those circumstances, polling station staff may provide assistance in a language other than English if they can. 

Where assistance is given in another language, polling station staff should explain to other staff and any polling agents or observers present what question has been asked and the response given. 

You should remind polling station staff to contact the RO (or ERO if applicable) if they have any queries from electors that they are unable to deal with.

Last updated: 7 October 2024