Earlier this month, the Electoral Commission has announced the polling dates for the six states that will be going through a state election, which is Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Penang, Kelantan, and Terengganu.
We’re pretty sure that if you’re eligible to vote, you’re probably excited and raring to go and perform your civic duties. But before you go out and vote, it’ll be more prudent for you to prepare first. So here’s everything you need to prepare before going out to vote.
When are the state elections?
As announced by the EC earlier this month, the nomination date for all six states will fall on the 29th of July 2023, and the polling date will be on the 12th of August 2023.
The nomination date is when the candidates that will be contesting in your Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN), so you might want to pay attention to that date so you can do your due diligence on which candidate deserves your vote the most.
Meanwhile, the polling date is when the action really happens. This is when you will go out to your polling station to cast your vote. Pro tip; usually there will be a long line in the morning as everyone wants to get their voting duties out of the way, so going in the afternoon might be a smarter idea.
But what if you have no idea where you’re supposed to vote? Well there’s a super easy way to check.
How to check your polling stations
To check where your polling stations are, all you have to do is head over to the MySPR Semak portal.
Once you’re there, this is what you will see.
Click on the ‘Semakan Daftar Pemilih’ button, and enter your IC number to proceed. The next screen will display your polling station, your voting channel, your voting number, and a recommended voting time.
What are the do’s and don’ts when voting?
Now that you know where you’re going to vote, here are the do’s and don’ts when voting to help you be prepared for casting your vote.
Do;
- Bring your IC
- Put your mobile phone on silent
- Double check your ballot paper
Don’t;
- Wear clothes that represents a political party
- Touch your ballot paper using your inked finger
- Take a photo of your ballot paper
- Draw on your ballot paper
Now that you are suitably prepared to vote, just remember to always keep your votes to yourself, and remember; your single vote makes a difference.
