Yahoo News Why are pencils used at polling stations and can you use a pen instead?
Occasions such as general elections and local elections will see people go to their local polling stations to vote in person.
There are a number of rules to follow, including not taking or posting any pictures of the inside of the polling station and not taking part in any political discussion inside either.
Another aspect that people might have noticed in their previous times voting is that only pencils are provided by the venue for them to mark their ballot.
Some people might wonder why pens are never provided and if they would actually be allowed if someone brought their own.
Why are pencils used in polling stations and can people bring their own?
Over the years, voters have voiced concerns about ballot papers being tampered with if they're marked in pencil and can easily be erased.
However, the Electoral Commission has shared there are a number of practical reasons why pencils are offered by polling stations.
As reported by The Mirror, they said: "Pencils are generally used to mark ballot papers for practical reasons: ink may dry or spill, or could smudge and transfer when the ballot paper is folded, which could lead to your ballot paper being rejected.
"But this is not mandatory - you can use your own pen if you prefer."
Therefore, you can bring your own pen or pencil to the polling station to mark your ballot and there won't be any issue.
In terms of advice for voting generally, the Electoral Commission stated: "Take your ballot paper into a polling booth. These are private, screened areas designed so that no one else can see how you vote. If it’s busy, you may have to wait for a free booth. Make sure you give people plenty of space, so everyone can cast their vote in secret.
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"Mark who you want to vote for on the ballot paper. Different elections work in different ways so it’s important that you understand how to fill in your ballot paper correctly."
They advise to "read everything properly" as there will be instructions on the ballot paper and on posters in the polling station.
When you’ve filled in your ballot paper, fold it and put it into a ballot box. These are large boxes which will be clearly labelled and obviously placed.
