VOTERS in Southampton have been given advice about casting their vote in the EU Referendum.

Southampton City Council have relased advice to voters in the city to help them through the process of voting.

Residents have been urged to plan when and where they will be casting their vote today.

Recent research carried out for the Electoral Commission found that 35 per cent of voters had not yet planned what time they would be voting and the Commission is recommending that everyone makes sure they plan ahead so they do not miss out.

There are 95 polling stations in Southampton and they will be open from 7am to 10pm.

Voters who arrive at a polling station after 10pm will miss their chance to cast their vote, although registered voters who arrive at their polling station before 10pm and are in a queue will still be able to vote.

The Electoral Commission also discovered the most popular time for voting was between 5pm and 8pm with 19 per cent of respondents planning to vote at this time.

A further 29 per cent planned to vote before midday.

Mark Heath, Counting Officer for Southampton, is encouraging Southampton residents to:

• Plan what time they will cast their vote at the polling station, leaving plenty of time before the 10pm deadline, as anyone that arrives after 10pm, by law, will not be able to vote.

• Read and bring their poll card, which should have come through the door. The poll card states where their polling station is. It is not compulsory to bring the polling card in order to vote, but it will speed up the process in the polling station.

• If voting by post, make sure that they send their postal ballot back in plenty of time as postal votes that arrive after 10pm on June 23 will not be counted. Southampton residents who forget to send their postal ballot back can hand it in at any polling station in Southampton on polling day.

• Mark their ballot paper with one ‘X’ only in the box beside the option of their choice.

Mark Heath, Counting Officer for Southampton, said: “We are expecting a high turnout on June 23 so I encourage Southampton residents to take a few minutes to plan what time they will arrive at the polling station on 23 June.

“Polling stations are open for 15 hours from 7am until 10pm. We will be fully resourced to minimise the impact of queues.

"The busiest time is usually in the late afternoon – when parents come with their children after school - and early evening when people come to vote after work.

"Voters who are able to be flexible, may want to avoid these peak times.

“Residents should have received a poll card with details of where their polling station is.

"Anyone who has misplaced their poll card, or are unsure where their polling station is, can access the polling station finder on the council’s website by typing their postcode into the ‘where I live’ section."

For more information on casting your vote call the Electoral Commissio on 0800 3280 280.