The complete guide to casting your vote in the KP polls today

Political activity has reached its zenith in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as the province holds local body elections today (Sunday) across 17 districts, including Charsadda, Nowshehra, Mardan, and Peshawar.

The polling time is from 8am to 5pm.

It cannot be stressed enough that the voters must be fully aware of the constituency and the polling station where they have been registered.

If you still have doubts about this, then text your Computerised National Identity Card number (CNIC) number — without hyphens — to 8300.

Here's a complete guide for voters to cast their ballots in the KP polls:

Reach out to the polling officer

Once you have entered the polling station reach out to the polling officer.

Show CNIC to the polling officer

Show your original CNIC to the polling officer who will then check your details in the voter list and cross your name off of it. This process will be observed by each party’s polling agent who will then check the voter’s details in their list.

Thumb impression

The officer will then take your thumb impression on a counterfoil of the ballot paper in front of the your picture.

Presiding officers to issue ballot papers

Once your thumb impression has been taken, you will then be sent to the presiding officer who will issue ballots papers for general and women's councillor seats.

After this, you will be sent to the assistant presiding officer who will issue ballot papers for the youth councillor and farmer and labourer councillor seats.

Subsequently, will go to the third assistant presiding officer who will issue ballots for tehsil council and minority council member seats.

All these assistant presiding officers will write your NIC number, census block code number, serial number and area name on the counterfoil of the ballot paper.

The assistant presiding officers will also stamp the papers and sign them.

These officers will then take your thumb impression on the counterfoil.

Voting for candidate

In the next step, you will be sent towards the voting screen where you can stamp the ballot papers on the candidates of your choice.

Drop ballot paper in the ballot box

After stamping the ballot papers, fold them and drop them in the allotted boxes.

What you need to be mindful of at this stage is that there is no presiding officer, polling agent or candidate present during this process.

Contact polling agent for any queries

However, if you have any queries you may contact any officer or polling agent to address your concerns.

Things to keep in mind

Moreover, the voters must keep in mind the following to ensure that the voting process is smooth.

Respect the priority list

According to ECP, pregnant women, people with disabilities, senior citizens and transgender persons will be given priority while votes are being cast.

So please wait for your turn patiently.

Cellphones, cameras barred inside polling stations

You won't be allowed to carry your mobile phones and cameras inside the polling stations, so please make arrangements beforehand.

Mark your ballot paper clearly

Please make sure you mark your vote clearly and firmly on the symbol of the candidate you support.