The general election will decide which party (or coalition of parties) forms the next government. There will be 646 seats in the UK Parliament’s House of Commons up for grabs – down from the current 659 because of changes to constituency boundaries.
WHEN IS THE ELECTION?
Tony Blair has announced 5 May as polling day. The last poll was 7 June 2001, with the new parliament sitting later that month. An elected parliament lasts no longer than five years, therefore this last parliament could have continued until late June 2006. An election campaign takes about four weeks, so the election could have been held in July 2006. Votes are traditionally held on Thursday, but do not have to be. Elections cannot be held on weekends or public holidays.
HOW DOES THE VOTING SYSTEM WORK?
The UK uses a First Past the Post system. To become an MP, a candidate simply has to win more votes than any rival in their constituency, not a majority of votes cast. Critics claim this means many people’s votes are “wasted” and want some kind of proportional representation, where the national share of the vote determines the number of MPs.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE PRIME MINISTER LOSES HIS SEAT?
His party would offer up a candidate, probably the deputy prime minister, to hold the reins temporarily as a caretaker leader/prime minister. The Queen would then call the potential prime minister to Buckingham Palace to ask him whether he would form a government. The governing party would then hold a leadership election.
WHO CAN VOTE?
You must be registered to vote, be at least 18-years-old on polling day, be British or be a Commonwealth or Republic of Ireland citizen living in the UK.
WHO IS BANNED FROM VOTING?
The following are barred from voting in general elections: members of the House of Lords; convicted prisoners; anybody found guilty of election corruption within the last five years; people with learning disabilities or a mental illness who are incapable of making a reasoned judgement.
HOW DO I REGISTER TO VOTE?
It is now too late to register for this election. You can check whether you are on the electoral roll by contacting the electoral services department at your local council. Their contact details are listed on the Electoral Commission’s special website.
HOW DO I VOTE?
Those registered to vote should be sent a polling card about a week before the election, naming your polling station. You should take the card with you to vote, although it is not compulsory and other identification can be accepted.
WHAT IS ON THE BALLOT PAPER?
You will be given an officially marked ballot paper listing all the candidates in alphabetical order of surname, with the description of their party, if they have one. You place an X in the box beside your one chosen candidate.
CAN I VOTE BY POST?
Yes. The general election is not an all-postal vote like the trials held in some regions last year but you can ask for a postal vote from the electoral services department at your local council – whom you should also contact if your polling card fails to arrive. If you apply for a postal vote and then decide you would like to vote in person after all, you must take the whole of your postal voting package to the polling station in order to vote.
If you could vote, what party would you vote for? Take the poll:
