To be able to vote, a person's name must be included in the electoral register.

All registered citizens will be sent a polling card before an election. The polling card will contain information which includes when the election is to take place and where your allocated polling station is.

If you are unable to get to a polling station on election day, you can make an absent vote. There are two types of absent vote:

• Postal vote - where your ballot paper is sent to you at the address you request.
• Proxy vote - where you nominate someone to go to the polling station and vote on your behalf.

Application forms for Postal and Proxy votes can be downloaded from the Electoral Commission's website, aboutmyvote.co.uk (opens in a new window)

The election process is determined by a voting system and there are two main types of elections, parliamentary and local government.

In parliamentary elections (UK and European), citizens would normally vote for one candidate, and the candidate with the majority of votes is elected. The exception to this is at European elections, where a form of proportional representation is used and citizens vote for a political party.

At local government elections (district/borough, county and parish) a similar voting system is used, although at some elections citizens can vote for more than one candidate. However, the candidate(s) with the highest number of votes are elected.

• General Election 2010 - how to vote

  A Parliamentary General Election will be held on Thursday 6 May 2010.

• Elections - electoral registrations

  The Electoral register is a record of everyone who lives within the boundaries of the local authority and who is eligible to vote at elections. It is also known as the register of Electors (the Electoral Roll).

• European elections

  The Treaty on European Union, signed at Maastricht in 1992, created citizenship of the European Union. All nationals of Member States are also citizens of the Union, and are entitled to vote at Local Government and European Parliamentary elections in their member state of residence.

• Voting - Purbeck District Council

  Why Vote? If you are interested in your local area and the community and also have views on how things should be done then it is important for you to use your vote and have your say.