Polling station
A polling place[1] is where voters cast their ballots in elections. The phrase polling station is also used in American English[1] and British English,[2] although polling place is the building[3] and polling station is the specific room[3] (or part of a room) where voters cast their votes. A polling place can contain one or more polling stations.[3] In Australian English, "polling place" is used.
Not to be confused with voting house, a specific type of polling station in the United States.
Since elections generally take place over a one- or two-day span on a periodic basis, often annual or longer, polling places are usually located in facilities used for other purposes, such as schools, churches, sports halls, local government offices, or even private homes, and may each serve a similar number of people. The area may be known as a ward, precinct, polling district, or constituency. The polling place is staffed by officials (who may be called election judges, returning officers, or other titles) who monitor the voting procedures and assist voters with the election process. Scrutineers (or poll-watchers) are independent or partisan observers who attend the poll to ensure the impartiality of the process.
The facility will be open between specified hours depending on the type of election, and political activity by or on behalf of those standing in the ballot is usually prohibited within the venue and immediately surrounding area.
Inside the polling place will be an area (usually a voting booth) where the voter may select the candidate or party of their choice in secret. If a ballot paper is used, this will be placed into a ballot box in front of witnesses who cannot see for whom the vote has been cast. Voting machines may be employed instead.
Some polling places are temporary structures. A portable cabin may be specially sited for an election and removed afterwards.
There are five types of voting technologies that are currently being used in the United States polling locations. These comprise hand-counted paper ballots, mechanical lever machines, punch cards, optically readable paper ballots, and electronic voting machines.[4] One of the reasons for a tendency toward witnessed final posting or transacting physical systems yet retaining the secret ballot is to reduce electoral fraud.[4]
History[edit]
The word "poll" means "scalp" or "head". When votes were taken by gathering people together and counting heads, the place where this was done (sometimes an open field) was called the "polls".[8][9]
Polling places used to gather and count ballots in elections have changed significantly over the past 250 years.[10] Advances in technology have played a major role in changing the polling places because as the type of ballot changed, the venue in which the ballots are counted also changed.[10] One of the main reasons for advancement was to be able to access the results quicker. First was the word ballot, then came the different types of paper ballots, and in the late 20th Century electronic balloting systems were introduced.
Before there were paper ballots, people would simply call out their selection at the polling place. This polling place was typically the county courthouse or town hall.[10] Sometimes these polls were taken outside of the venue in a more informal fashion. When the voters came to the town hall to announce their choice, they would get in line to see the judge and swear in.[10] Voters would swear an oath to the judge on a Bible and be allowed to cast one ballot per election.[10] The judge acted as the only form of voter identification and it was up to them to be able to identify individuals that had already voted and exclude them from voting again.[10]
The use of paper and electronic ballots have been the most widely used form of capturing votes in recent history.[10] When paper or electronic ballots are used, the polling place must be professionally organized in order to ensure that the ballots are not tampered with and are accounted for accurately.[10] These polls are held inside a building that has been set up in stations to assist voters. When the voter arrives, they will be asked to show a form of voter identification (Photo ID is required in most European countries and in some US states).[10][11] Properly identified votes would go to a voting booth where the votes are captured. After all votes were captured, voters could examine the voting ticket before submitting the ballot to the poll worker, in a ballot box, or on the computerized ballot.[10]
A polling station in Ban Khung Taphao, Khung Taphao subdistrict, Mueang Uttaradit district, Uttaradit province, Thailand, for the 2007 Thai general election
Polling station in rural area of Samarinda during the 2024 Indonesian general election's election day
