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Put a cross next to the candidate you want to become elected as MP (some people refuse to vote for anyone but want to point out that they are unhappy with the choice on offer, so submit protest votes - voting for none - or ‘spoil’ their ballot paper, by scribbling on the paper, or choosing multiple candidates.)
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You then put the ballot paper in a ballot box, which is sealed until all ballots can be counted, at 10pm
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At the count, someone called a returning officer oversees that all the votes are counted properly, first electronically, and then by hand to double-check.
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Each constituency has a returning officer for a general election, and once all the constituency votes are counted, the returning officer announces the amount of votes per
9.
candidate. The candidate with the most votes becomes your MP.
Why can’t I vote for the leader of a political party in a General Election? In the UK we do not have a separate election for Prime Minister. Instead we vote for candidates in our own area - constituency - and party with the most MPs then gets to form the government, and the leader of this party becomes Prime Minister. However, if the candidate in your constituency is also the leader of a political party, you can vote for them to be your MP. If their party wins the election and they become Prime Minister, they will also be your local MP.
Why should the 2017 general election matter? General elections are important, and give you a chance to influence the policies and laws that you, your family and friends, and all the other people around you have to live by. Your vote is a chance to elect a member of parliament whose job it is to best represent you, your views and your constituency in parliament.
Is a snap election different? In short – it’s not. The whole process works exactly the same as a normal general election. The only difference is the timing: There is a law that sets out when general elections should normally take place. This is known as the ’Fixed Term Parliament Act, 2011’.