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A polling place is where cast their in . The phrase polling station is also used in American English, British English and Canadian English although a polling place is the building and polling station is the specific room (or part of a room) where voters cast their votes. A polling place can contain one or more polling stations. In Australian English and New Zealand English, "polling place" and "polling centre" are used. Americans also use the term voting precinct in some 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 School, churches, Public library, stadium, Gym, Post office, Community centre, Retirement home, local government , Rapid transit and Rail transport Train station or even private homes, Hotel, Bank, Restaurant, Health club, Private Shops, 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 Returning Officers and election judges, or other titles) who monitor the voting procedures and assist voters with the election process. (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. 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. 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.
generally use either a voting booth or some other form of privacy cover to obscure voters from the view of others.
Polling places used to gather and count ballots in elections have changed significantly over the past 250 years. 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. 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. 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. Voters would swear an oath to the judge on a Bible and be allowed to cast one ballot per election. 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.
The use of paper and electronic ballots have been the most widely used form of capturing votes in recent history. When paper or electronic ballots are used, the polling place must be professionally organised in order to ensure that the ballots are not tampered with and are accounted for accurately. 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). 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 computerised ballot.
The building where the polling location is sited can have a significant effect on the results of the poll. Research shows that polling location may influence how a voter casts their ballot. This subtle unknown factor can be significant and can sway a close election. Individuals may be influenced to behave in a certain way based on environmental cues, i.e., an object or place that can influence a voter's behavior; for example, the condition of the building, the name of the building, the ordinary use of the building, or the building decor. Researchers have spent much time considering what makes people vote the way they do; they have found that the smallest of changes can have large effects.
Waiting times at polling places have also been a problem in the US. This has become such a controversial topic that even President Obama in his State of the Union Address on 12 February 2013 mentioned the need to decrease waiting times. He went on to say that it is the duty of Americans to make sure that everyone has not only the right to vote but the opportunity to vote without having to wait several hours in line.
RMVTs also operate for state and territory elections. In the Northern Territory, most people vote before election day, but those who do that live in remote electorates (i.e those outside Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs) have their vote collected by RMVTs, whereas those in urban electorates (i.e those in Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs) vote at regular polling places. In the seats of Daly, Katherine and Namatjira, the majority of voters vote at regular polling places but for those in the remote parts of the electorate, RMVTs do exist. In Queensland, RMVTs are used by some remote voters in the seat of Cook.
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