Vote is a decision by an individual or group to indicate their choice or preference in a meeting or an election. Generally the choice that is supported by the majority of votes wins. The right to vote is an important component of democracy.
In smaller organizations, voting may take place formally by ballot, for example to elect members of a workplace or political association or to choose roles for others; or informally, with a spoken agreement or gesture such as a raised hand. Larger organisations, like countries, normally limit their voting to periodic elections.
You can register to vote in the UK online or by mail, including if you have moved or changed your name or political party. You can also register to vote abroad if you have a valid UK passport or a British or Irish citizenship and make a declaration of connection to the area in which you live. Remand prisoners and voluntary patients in mental hospitals can also register to vote by making a service declaration based on their last UK address.
To vote, you usually mark a cross on the ballot paper for the candidate of your choice. Some systems use a system of ranked voting, where voters give each candidate a number of preferences (usually one to ten). In these systems, candidates with more first preference votes are elected; those with fewer get eliminated. In the United States, most states use a system called ‘instant runoff voting’ or ‘IRV’.