Electoral terms explained

Here you will find short definitions of terms used in electoral services.

• Absent voter

  An elector who chooses not to vote in person at a polling station but instead votes by postal vote or proxy vote.

• Anonymous registration

  Anonymous registration (which allows people to be registered without their name appearing on written records) is for those who feel that their safety would be put at risk should they appear on the Electoral Register (eg if they are escaping from domestic violence or have a job where their identity should be kept private). Certain criteria must be met before this can take place.

• Attainer

  A 16 or 17 year old who will reach voting age (18 years old) during the life of the current Electoral Register.

• Ballot box

  A ballot box is the sealed container used to collect ballot paper(s), from the moment they are completed by voters. The ballot papers are held in the ballot box until it is time for them to be counted. The seal of a ballot box must only be broken at the count under strict rules.

• Ballot paper

  A ballot paper is a form which lists all the candidates standing for election. Before you receive your ballot paper at the polling station, you will need to tell the poll clerk who you are and where you live. The poll clerk then endorses your ballot paper with an official perforated mark to make it valid. You must then go into a voting booth to make a mark on the ballot paper against the candidate or candidates for whom you wish to vote (this mark is usually an "X"). Afterwards, fold your paper and place it in the ballot box. Postal voters receive ballot papers by post at a designated address.

• By-election

  A by-election is held when a seat held by an elected representative becomes vacant.

• Canvass

  During the annual Canvass the Council contacts every property in the borough to collect the names and nationalities of residents eligible to vote in the UK. The information collected between September and November before being published in the revised Electoral Register on 1 December each year. The Canvass is a statutory duty of the Electoral Registration Officer under Section 10 of the RPA 1983. See also Rolling Registration.

• Constituency

  A geographical area that an elected representative represents. In Bexley, there are three parliamentary constituencies, Bexleyheath and Crayford, Erith and Thamesmead (which includes three London Borough of Greenwich electoral wards) and Old Bexley and Sidcup, each electing one representative to the House of Commons (MP). Bexley also shares a constituency with Bromley to elect one representative for the London Assembly at Greater London Authority Elections.

• Councillor

  Local Government elected representative. Bexley is represented by a total of 63 councillors (three councillors elected per each of the 21 wards). Councillors are elected every four years.

• (The) Count

  This is when all votes are verified and counted at the end of an election - leading to the announcement of an elected representative.

• Edited register

  The edited register excludes the names and addresses of people who have asked to be excluded from that version of the register. The edited register can be bought by anyone and they may use it for any purpose ie marketing purposes. You can choose not to be on this version of the register by indicating in the appropriate box on the registration form or by writing to Electoral Services (contact details on the right). See also Full Register.

• Election

  A democratic process under which electors vote for who they want to represent them.

• Election day

  Election day, polling day or day of poll is the day on which an election takes place. This is normally a Thursday.

• Electoral Register

  The Electoral Register (also known as the Electoral Roll or Register of Electors) is a list compiled by the Council, identifying those who are eligible to vote in elections. It is a statutory duty of the Electoral Registration Officer to compile and maintain the Register.

• Electoral Registration Officer

  An officer appointed by the Council to be responsible for maintaining the Electoral Register in accordance with the law.

• Electoral roll

  See Electoral Register

• Full Register

  The full register lists everyone who is entitled to vote. Anyone can look at the register under the supervision of a member of staff and make handwritten notes, but they cannot make copies. Only certain people and organisations are entitled to a copy of the full register for specified purposes (these include electoral purposes, the prevention and detection of crime and checking your identity when you have applied for credit ie a mortgage, loan, opening bank accounts etc). You can check the Full Register it by calling in to the Contact Centre at Civic Offices, Bexleyheath, between the hours of 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm. If you are enquiring about more than one address an appointment can be made by phoning the Contact Centre on 020 8303 7777. See also Edited Register

• MEP

  Member of the European Parliament. MEPs are elected every five years at European Parliamentary Elections.

• MP

  Member of Parliament. It refers to the Members of the House of Commons. MPs are elected at UK Parliamentary elections (also known as General Elections).

• Opt-out

  This expression is used in connection with the Edited Register which is available for sale commercially. People can choose to opt-out of the Edited Register - ie not have their name and address included.

• Overseas elector

  An overseas elector is a British citizen living abroad, who is entitled to vote at UK General Elections, European Parliamentary Elections for the UK and national referendums. British citizens living abroad may register by completing an Overseas Electors application form. They can remain registered for up to 15 years after they last appeared on the register of electors in the United Kingdom. If the person was too young to be included in the Register when he/she left the UK, he/she may still be eligible to register if the parents or guardians were themselves included in the Electoral Register at any point during the last fifteen years from application.

• Personal identifiers

  Electors applying for a postal or proxy vote must provide their date of birth and a sample of their signature (both personal identifiers). Personal identifiers are used in the detection of voting fraud and are checked against a statement which the voter must complete and return with his/her ballot paper.

• Poll card

  Poll cards give notice of a forthcoming election and are issued to those eligible to vote. The poll cards are delivered to the address given on the Electoral Register, two to three weeks before polling day. A poll card sets out: the elector's name, qualifying address and number on the Register; the name of the constituency and/or ward; the date and hours of the poll; and the location of the elector's polling station. For postal voters, the poll card sets out the likely date they will receive their postal vote.

• Poll Clerk

  Assistant of the Presiding Officer at a polling station. Responsibilities include checking your name against an address on the Electoral Register and issuing ballot papers.

• Polling day

  Polling day (also known as day of poll or election day) is the day on which an election falls. This is normally a Thursday.

• Polling district

  A sub-division of a ward. There is at least one polling station location within each polling district.

• Polling station

  The place where an elector goes to vote. In cases where an elector cannot or does not wish to vote in person, he or she may apply for a postal vote or a proxy vote.

• Proxy postal vote

  This is when your proxy chooses to vote by post. See also proxy vote.

• Proxy vote

  This is when an elector appoints someone to vote on his/her behalf. This person, called a proxy, can be a relative or a friend. This person can then vote in person at your polling station on election day, or choose to have a postal vote (postal proxy vote).

• Postal vote

  This is when an elector chooses to receive his/her ballot papers by post at a specified address, anywhere in the world.

• Presiding Officer

  This is the officer responsible for a polling station on election day. Duties include supervision of the lawful voting process inside the polling station and the transport of ballot boxes for the count.

• Register of Electors

  See Electoral Register.

• Referendum

  Direct vote in which the entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal.

• Returning Officer

  The Returning Officer is the person who is ultimately responsible for the conduct of an election in accordance with the law.

• Rolling registration

  Period of registration, which runs yearly from the beginning of December until mid-August.

• RPA 1983

  Stands for the Representation of the People Act 1983, which is the main legal document regulating electoral administration.

• RPR 2001

  Stands for Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001, which sets out many of the procedures regulating electoral administration.

• Voting booth

  This is a cubicle inside a polling station where electors vote in privacy.

• Waiver

  The word is used in Electoral Services in connection with the submission of personal identifiers requested when an application for absent voting is made (postal or proxy). It refers to the exception from having to submit such identifiers to the Electoral Registration Officer on grounds of disability or when an elector cannot read or write.

• Ward

  Electoral district inside a borough. Bexley is divided into twenty-one wards, each of which is represented by three councillors.