Voter FAQs

Am I eligible to vote in this election?

Before you check anything, make sure you qualify:

• You must be 18 years or older on the qualifying date. Qualifying dates now fall quarterly, not once a year — if your birthday is coming up, you may already qualify sooner than you think. Don't assume you have to wait a full year.
• You can be enrolled in only one place. If you've moved, you need to update or transfer your entry — see voter-ID enrolment and transfer — not add a second one.
• Enrolling (or updating an existing entry) needs proof of age and proof of ordinary residence at your current address. See documents for renters and PG residents.

How do I check my registration status?

The only reliable answer comes from the official electoral roll, maintained by the Election Commission and the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka. Use the official electoral-roll lookup to confirm your registration; this FAQ does not collect your voter details.

Use the official lookup with your name, EPIC number, or address to confirm you're on the roll for your ward.

What if I'm not on the roll?

If the official lookup doesn't find you, or your details are out of date, you'll need to enrol as a new voter or update/transfer your existing entry. The voter-ID guide walks through both, so you can apply before the roll closes. Check the official election notice for the deadline.

What do I need to do before election day?

Work through these steps before election day:

1. Check you're on the roll. Confirm your registration above and make sure you meet the eligibility basics.
2. Enrol or transfer before the deadline, if you need to. If you're not on the roll, or you've moved (including from another city), enrol or transfer your registration — this step expires when the roll closes.
3. Find your ward. Look up your new GBA ward by address — wards have been redrawn, so don't assume your old ward number still applies.
4. Read about the candidates. Once candidate data is published for your ward, read the neutral, sourced report cards before deciding.
5. Find your booth. Locate your polling booth using your EPIC number ahead of time.
6. Vote. Walk through what happens on voting day, including what to bring and what the process looks like.

This page is meant to be shared — if you found it useful, forward it to someone who's voting in a ward election for the first time.

How do I enrol as a new voter?

If you've never registered to vote, enrol using Form 6. If you are already registered elsewhere, use Form 8 to transfer your entry.

1. Gather proof of age and proof of ordinary residence at your current address.
2. Fill Form 6 online through the official portal, or at your local electoral registration office.
3. Track your application status until it's confirmed.

How do I update or transfer my registration if I've moved?

If you're already registered but have changed address — within the same ward, to a different ward, or from another city — you update your entry using Form 8.

1. Fill Form 8 with your new address details.
2. Attach proof of your new address.
3. Submit online or at your electoral registration office, well before the roll closes.

I'm registered to vote in another city — does that count here?

No. A vote registered elsewhere does not count in this election. If your name is on the electoral roll in another city or state, you need to transfer your registration to Bengaluru using Form 8 before the roll closes for it to count in this ward election.

This is especially common for people who've moved to Bengaluru for work or study and haven't yet updated their voter registration. Don't assume your old registration still applies — it doesn't, and there's no separate "visiting voter" option.

Proof of address if you're a renter or PG resident

You do not need to own your home to enrol or transfer. Check the current official form instructions for the accepted proof of ordinary residence at your address. Ask your electoral registration office which documents apply to your circumstances, including whether a rental agreement, landlord letter, utility bill, or bank statement is accepted.

What documents do I need?

• Proof of age (birth certificate, school certificate, passport, or similar).
• Proof of ordinary residence at your current address (see above for renters/PG residents).
• A recent passport-size photograph, where the form requires one.

Where do I do this?

Both Form 6 and Form 8 can be filed online through the official National Voters' Service Portal, or in person at your local electoral registration office. This FAQ does not process applications. Follow the official form instructions and track your application until it is confirmed.

How do I find my polling booth?

Use the polling booth lookup on the home page and enter the voter ID (EPIC) number printed on your voter ID card. We check it against the electoral roll and show you three things: the polling station you vote at, your serial number on that station's roll, and the GBA ward you are in.

The serial number is worth noting down. It is the number polling officials look you up by on voting day, and having it ready is the difference between a minute at the desk and ten.

Your voter ID number goes to the electoral roll service to answer your question and is used for nothing else. We do not store it, we do not log it, and we do not keep the answer — not against your identity, and not at all. If you want your ward without giving a voter ID number at all, the ward finder on the home page works from your address instead.

What if my voter ID isn't found?

Check the number against your card first — it is letters followed by digits, and a single wrong character will not match. Case and spacing do not matter; we correct those before searching.

If it still comes back empty, that does not necessarily mean you are not registered: the roll behind this lookup may not yet reflect a recent registration or a change of address. Use the official electoral-roll lookup, and check your registration status directly.

If the lookup itself is unavailable — the electoral roll service is down or slow — the page says so plainly rather than telling you your number was not found. Those are different answers and we do not confuse the two.

What's different about voting in a ward election?

• You're electing one corporator for your ward — not an MLA or MP. This is a local, hyper-local vote.
• Bengaluru's civic wards have been redrawn under the new five-corporation GBA structure (North, South, East, West, Central). Your ward may be numbered and named differently from before.
• Your ward may not match your assembly constituency. They're different boundaries for different elections — check your specific ward using the ward finder on the home page, don't assume.

What happens at the polling booth, step by step?

1. Find your booth and check the official polling hours. Use the polling booth locator beforehand so you know where to go.
2. Bring your EPIC (voter ID) card, or an accepted alternative document (see below) if it hasn't arrived yet.
3. Join the queue at your designated booth — you can only vote at the booth assigned to your address.
4. Get verified by the polling officer against the electoral roll.
5. Get your finger marked with indelible ink — this happens once per voter.
6. Collect your voter slip, if issued, and proceed to the voting area.
7. Cast your vote in the voting compartment, in private.
8. Leave the booth — voting only takes a couple of minutes once you're at the front of the queue.

What does the voting machine look like?

Check the State Election Commission’s instructions for the voting method used in this election. If an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) is used, follow the instructions at the booth: identify your candidate and symbol, then press the button next to your choice once. A beep indicates that the vote has been recorded; you cannot change it after pressing.

What if my voter ID (EPIC) hasn't arrived yet?

You don't need to miss voting just because your EPIC card hasn't reached you. If you're on the electoral roll but don't have your EPIC yet, an accepted alternative photo ID document can be used instead. Check the official list of accepted documents for this election before leaving for the booth.

What is a voter slip, and do I need it?

A voter slip is a card sometimes distributed before election day (or available at the booth) showing your name, serial number on the roll, and booth details. It speeds up verification, but it's not a substitute for your ID — you still need to show an accepted photo document. If you don't have a slip, you can still vote; the polling officer can look you up on the printed roll.

Can I vote NOTA?

NOTA (None of the Above) lets voters indicate that they do not choose any contesting candidate. Check the State Election Commission’s instructions for this election to confirm its availability and how NOTA votes are counted.

What can't I take into the polling booth?

• Mobile phones and cameras are not allowed inside the voting compartment — most booths ask you to leave phones outside or switch them off before entering.
• Campaign material of any kind (badges, pamphlets, party symbols).

Bring only what you need: your ID document (and voter slip, if you have one).