‘General election campaigning for Labour: A guide to polling day’

Labour can make history on 4 July. You can be part of it. We need as many Labour supporters as possible to volunteer to help on polling day, and in the run-up to the general election.

Campaigning in elections is extremely rewarding, especially when we have a chance to deliver the Labour government the UK so desperately needs. I previously wrote a guide for Labourlist with tips for first time and returning campaigners. Today I am going to take you through what to expect on polling day.

Eve of poll activities

Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm on 4 July. For the first time in a General Election, people will need ID to vote. Boundary changes might also change the location of polling stations.

Your constituency might put out an eve of poll leaflet to remind Labour supporters and undecided voters about the election and how they can cast their vote. Volunteers are needed to deliver these leaflets.

These might be delivered the evening before the election or earlier in the morning on 4 July (shout out to the heroes doing early morning leaflet drops!) Other eve of poll activities includes final door knocking sessions and committee room preparations.

Committee Rooms

The Labour website will direct you to nearby campaign HQs. Committee rooms are the campaign hubs for different areas in a constituency. The person running the committee room will assign teams areas to door knock.

They act as a contact point for that area. They will ensure volunteers are sent to where they are most needed, keep an eye on voter turn-out, and see how effectively Labour is turning out the people who have said they will vote for us. Campaigners can get teas, coffee and snacks.

Don’t get too comfortable in the committee room though as you will be needed to be out “getting out the vote” (GOTV). 

Tellers

These people stand outside polling stations taking numbers of people who vote. This data can be input and used to remove anyone who has already voted from the list of doors to knock on, saving valuable time on election day. There are strict rules for how tellers should behave to avoid voter intimidation.

Labour takes this very seriously. Tellers can stand outside the polling station wearing rosettes, but they can’t advise people about how they should vote. If you act as a teller, you will be giving clear instructions about what to do.

Not every polling station will have tellers and some places may prioritise using volunteers to knock on doors instead. Other constituencies might only have tellers in the morning for the same reason.

If the vote is solid in seats that have previously had large Labour majorities, all the volunteers may be sent to a key battleground seat instead. Be flexible and be prepared to travel to where you will be most effective.

GOTV

Through the year canvassing teams have campaigned throughout the UK, asking people about their priorities and how they plan to vote in the General Election. On election day volunteers go back to Labour voters and some undecided voters, to have a conversation and remind our supporters to go out and vote.

Canvassing teams will feed data directly into the national database, which gives local parties and the national campaign team crucial information about how many people are voting for Labour. Each conversation makes a difference to voter turnout and can decide the outcome of the seat, which in turn decides the outcome of the General Election. 

Key daytime milestones for voting are typically before work, lunchtime, before and after the morning and afternoon school run, after work, before and after dinner and before the polling stations shut. It is important to keep going until 10pm. I know a Councillor who won his seat by three votes and remembers encouraging four people to go to the polling station at 9.45pm. 

Election day flies by. Wear comfortable shoes. Don’t forget to eat. Make every moment count. Have fun!

READ MORE: Sign up to our must-read daily briefing email on all things Labour

Read more of our 2024 general election coverage:

Could Labour take ‘non-battleground’ Tory seats across the South West?

Meet NHS doctor Zubir Ahmed, fighting one of Scotland’s tightest marginals

Brighton Pavilion: As Starmer visits, can Labour win the Greens’ one seat?

Labour wants a new generation of new towns. Can it win in Milton Keynes?

Meet Gordon McKee, the 29-year-old son of a welder vying for Glasgow South

‘How can I help Labour this election? The party insider’s guide to campaigning’

Revealed: The battlegrounds attracting most activists as 17,000 sign up

SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story – or any other topic involving Labour or the election – contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email protected]. 

SUBSCRIBE: Sign up to LabourList’s morning email here for the best briefing on everything Labour, every weekday morning. 

DONATE: If you value our work, please donate to become one of our supporters here and help sustain and expand our coverage.

PARTNER: If you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or content, email [email protected].