With election dates and poll schedule being announced, millions of young voters are waiting with bated breath to exercise their voting franchise for the first time. This year, as the country goes to polls from April 11, 15 million first-time voters in the 18-19 years age group are expected to cast their votes.
Though they constitute barely 1.66 percent of the total electorate of 900 million people, their contribution to the electoral process is just as important.
While visiting a polling booth, standing in long queues, and understanding the mechanism of electronic voting machines may come across as a daunting task for first timers, we can help ease it out by giving a walkthrough of the steps involved in the process.
Checklist for Voting
First and foremost, those above 18 years of age and are permanent domiciles must begin checking if their name is up on the electoral roll. Electoral rolls enlist all citizens who have been guaranteed the right to cast a vote.
In case one’s name doesn’t feature on the list, there are always ways to register proactively. However, one can only register at one place in the country.
Carry Right Documents to the Polling Booth
Next comes the need to carry the right documents. Carrying voter identification card issued by the Election Commission of India (EC) at the time of the polls is a must. In case one doesn’t have it, they can carry their passport, driving licence, PAN card, or Aadhar card, etc.
Reaching the polling booth on the right date and exact time specified by the EC is mandatory.
What happens at Polling Booth: The Voting Procedure
After entering a booth, a polling officer verifies the identity. If cleared, a second polling officer will mark your left forefinger with indelible ink. This signifies that one is clear to cast vote.
A third polling officer presses the “Ballot” button on the Control Unit of the electronic voting machine thereafter. He/ she will also show you the way to the voting compartment.
Once inside the voting booth, press the blue candidate button on the Balloting Unit. Be sure to press button placed against the name and symbol of your candidate of choice, because you can cast a vote only once. There’s no second chance.
So, in case you cannot identify a candidate by name, look for his/ her party symbol.
A red light glows against the name of the candidate you voted for after the button has been pressed. It will be accompanied by a sharp beep indicating your vote has been recorded.
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