Selfies, dogs and drinking: What can’t you do in a polling station?- QHN

Voters in some parts of England will choose new councillors and mayors on Thursday 2 May.

Across England and Wales, 37 police and crime commissioners will also be elected.

A by-election will select the new MP for Blackpool South, after the resignation of former Conservative MP Scott Benton.

What can and can’t you do when voting in person?

If you are registered to vote, you will be sent a polling card with your polling number and polling station details.

You can only vote at your local polling station, which might be in a local school or church building. You can find details of your local polling station online.

Polling stations are open between 07:00 and 22:00 BST on election day for people to vote in person.

If there’s a queue, you can still vote as long as you joined it before 22:00.

You do not need to show your polling card to vote, but you do have to produce valid photo ID in order to vote at polling stations in most UK elections.

The 22 forms of acceptable ID include:

ID which has expired is acceptable as long as you still look like the picture.

Anyone registered to vote who does not have the right photo ID – or who is no longer recognisable – can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate.

The deadline to apply for a certificate to use in the May elections has passed.

Writing implements are provided but you can bring your own if you wish.

The deadlines to to request a postal or proxy vote have passed.

However, you can still request an emergency proxy vote if last-minute work commitments or a medical issue mean you can no longer vote in person.

You can do this up to 17:00 BST on polling day, Thursday 2 May.

If you use a postal vote it must be with your local council by 22:00 on polling day.

You can return your ballot papers by post in advance or hand them into a polling station or your local council on the day.

You are not allowed to take photos inside a polling station because the Electoral Commission – which oversees UK elections – says it risks the secrecy of the ballot.

The punishment for revealing how someone else voted – even accidentally – is a fine of up to £5,000, or six months in prison.

But people are welcome to take photos outside.

Yes, but voters are advised not to update their social media accounts inside the polling station.

The rules for postal ballot papers are different, so voters can share photos of their own postal ballot paper on social media if they wish.

Some people deliberately spoil their vote – for example, by writing a message on the ballot paper as a protest.

These are recorded, but do not count for or against any candidate.

If you sign your ballot and your name is identifiable, the vote does not count.

Animals, apart from assistance dogs, are not usually allowed in polling stations.

However, other dogs can be admitted at the discretion of the local authority.

The Electoral Commission says there is nothing in law to prevent someone wearing a political slogan going into a polling station in order to vote.

However, they should leave immediately afterwards, as campaigning inside polling stations is not allowed.

Political discussion is banned inside polling stations.

Staff will intervene if they hear any references to candidates or parties.

Bringing children to the polling station is encouraged to help educate them about democracy.

But children are not allowed to mark your vote on the ballot paper.

People who have been drinking or are drunk can vote, unless they are disruptive.

Polling station staff can help you, or you can bring someone with you.

In England, anyone over the age of 18 can help you cast your vote. They do not need to be eligible to vote in that election.

Polling stations should have large-print sample ballot papers, and tactile voting devices to help people with visual impairments.

You can take your phone into the polling booth to use magnifier or text-to-speech apps, or the phone torch to improve lighting. But you must not take any photos inside the polling station.

Voting in UK elections is not compulsory. It is entirely up to you whether or not to vote.

Sometimes “tellers” stand outside the polling station and ask voters for the number on their polling card.

They are volunteers who work for candidates. They use the information to check who has voted, so they can remind people who have not yet done so.

Tellers are allowed to ask for your polling card number but you do not have to give it to them.