Your guide to the basics of the election.

How can I vote?
If you have not already registered, you are not eligible to vote in a May 5 general election. If you meet the requirements to be a voter, the electoral returning officer will send you an official polling card about a week before the election containing your name, address, electoral registration number, date of voting and the address of your polling station. You simply go down to the polling station and cast your vote.

By post?
Postal voting was introduced in 1918 but changes in the Representation of the People Act 2000, means any elector can request a postal vote for either a particular or an indefinite period, or for a particular election only. For those who are already registered in time, a postal vote can be accepted up to six rather than 11 working days before the poll. Applications are made to local electoral returning officers and postal votes can now be handed in at any polling station in the constituency on election day. Postal voting is also available to registered voters living overseas. Replacement ballot papers can also now be requested up to the eve of the poll if the original has been spoilt or lost. In the 2002 local elections, 7.7% of the electorate voted by post, which was twice the number at the general election the previous year.

How is an election called?
A general election must take place at least every five years but the Prime Minister decides the exact date of an election. It is traditionally held on a Thursday, although legally it can be held on any day. There must be at least 17 working days between when an election is called and the election day itself. When an election is announced, Parliament is dissolved by a proclamation from the Queen and the election campaign – lasting around three weeks – begins.

What happens when the votes are counted and who oversees the election?
The UK's 45,000 polling stations close at 10pm on election day and then the ballot boxes in each constituency are sealed and taken to a central location such as a town hall or leisure centre where the vast majority of counts begin immediately. When the count is complete, the returning officer discusses the results with the candidates or their agents. If the result is close, or if a candidate falls just short of the 5% necessary to save their deposit, then a recount can be requested. The decision on whether to allow one is made by the returning officer. In the case of very close results, a complete recount can be ordered. The Electoral Commission is an independent body, set up by Parliament in November 2000 to oversee elections. It also publishes the official results of parliamentary elections.