What Is a By-Election? Why They Happen and How They Work
A by-election is a contest for one seat that has fallen empty between general elections. Here is why UK by-elections happen, who …
9 November 2026
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Elections & Voting
Voting systems, registering to vote, how a count works and what electoral commissions and observers do.
Voter ID in the UK: Photo ID to Vote and the Voter Authority Certificate
Voters in Great Britain now need photo ID to vote in person at many elections. Here is which elections it covers, what ID is acce…
9 November 2026
Single Transferable Vote Explained: How STV Works, Step by Step
Under the single transferable vote, you rank candidates in order and your vote moves on if it is not needed or cannot help. Here …
9 November 2026
How Does Proportional Representation Work? Lists, Quotas and Divisors
Proportional representation aims to give each party a share of seats close to its share of the vote. Here is how party-list syste…
9 November 2026
How Election Results Are Declared in the UK: From Ballot Box to Declaration
Polls close at 10pm, but the result is not official until the returning officer reads it out. Here is what happens at a UK count,…
9 November 2026
The Alternative Vote Explained: How Instant-Runoff Voting Works
The alternative vote lets you rank candidates for a single seat, and the count eliminates the weakest until one is left. Here is …
9 November 2026
What Does an Electoral Commission Do?
Behind every election is a body that registers voters, organises polling, counts the votes and publishes results. Here is what el…
9 November 2026
First Past the Post vs Proportional Representation: How the Two Systems Differ
The same votes can produce very different parliaments depending on how they are counted. Here is how first past the post and prop…
9 November 2026