Election day is here and up and down the country voters are going to the polls again ready to pick their local election candidate.
While rumours of a general election rumble on, the performance of the Conservatives and Labour at the local polls is always considered something of a litmus test for the ruling party’s projected performance.
But whatever the result, you need to make sure you abide by the rules when you head to your polling station – and some are not that obvious.
Of course, you must bring photo ID such as a passport or driving licence to vote, in a change which has only recently been made.
And you can’t bribe someone at a polling station, or pressure someone to vote in a certain way.
But one less obvious rule is around selfies. It’s illegal to take any photos within a polling station, including selfies. You are not allowed to take any photos inside a polling station because the UK’s Electoral Commission says it risks the secrecy of the ballot.
The punishment for revealing how someone else voted, even inadvertently, is a fine of up to £5,000 and six months in prison.
Other offences include ‘treating’. This is when someone directly or indirectly gives food, drink, or another provision in exchange for a vote or to attempt to influence a vote.
It’s also illegal for political campaigners to handle completed ballot papers for voters who are ‘not their close family or someone they care for’, the Electoral Commission says.
