 | | | | Voting | | Voters in Britain went to the polls on Thursday 10th June. They voted in different ways for different organisations, with different results. | | 
 | | | SEND IN YOUR COMMENTS | Send us your views: Should voting be compulsory? (It is in some countries) Why do some younger voters not vote? How would you like to vote - in person, by post, by text message, by internet?  Send in your comments |
| Depending where in the UK they lived, people on the electoral register could vote for candidates standing as MEPs, as Mayor of London and representatives of the London Assembly, and as local councillors. There were two main types of voting: proportional representation, with seats allocated according to the number of votes cast, and first past the post, with the seat going to the candidate with the largest number of votes.
Voter turnout has been lower than hoped for in some recent elections. To help overcome this, postal voting was trialled in several areas. Instead of going to polling stations voters were sent a ballot paper, filled it in, had their identity verified and then sent it back.
There is also concern that younger voters don't take part in elections. Postal voting and possibly later voting by text may help - though it may be that younger voters are not interested in conventional politics, and are more likely to vote in single issue politics
| | went to the polls voted in a political election electoral register a list of people in each borough who are allowed to vote. standing if you stand for a political position (e.g. MP) you are a candidate in an election for that position MEPs Members of the European Parliament Mayor of London Since May 2000 London has had a mayor responsible for matters including transport and the police local councillors people elected to a council, responsible for running a town or other area proportional representation political parties receive seats in proportion to the numbers of votes cast. seats when someone is elected to parliament you can say that they or their party have won a seat first past the post the person with the greatest number of votes wins the seat candidate someone who is being considered in an election had their identity verified someone who knows them had to confirm they were who they said polling stations a public building where people got to vote in an election ballot a vote in which people select a candidate in an election or express an opinion ballot paper a piece of paper on which you mark your choice Voter turnout the proportion of people on the electoral roll who actually voted single issue politics where there is concern about one problem, such as the environment | |
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