GHMC Elections: 10 Tips for Voting Safely on Election Day

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Elections arrangements have been made. Around 74,67,256 citizens will cast their vote tomorrow. Out of which there are 38,89,637 men, voters and 35,76,941 are women voters. The polling will start at 7 am and conclude at 6 pm.

Telangana State is planning to deploy 25,000 to 30,000 police personnel to safely conduct GHMC Elections.

GHMC elections will be held adhering to COVID-19 guidelines.

Vote counting will be done on December 4.

Here we have 10 tips for voting safely:

Be proactive

Check booth number in advance online, instead of going to the booth and find out. Do not end up searching for the booth at the last minute.

Follow SMS

The "big three" safety precautions, Social distancing, Mask and Sanitising hands are critical to making sure everyone can vote safely.

Vote at early hours of the day

Early voting is a great idea to cut down on crowding at the polling centres. If you choose to go to poll in the early hours of the day, crowds should be less and more socially distanced. If you find the lines long, another time of day may be easier and safer.

Wait outdoors

Waiting outdoors is definitely safer than indoors because any airflow helps disperse the deadly virus. Try to find a voting location that keeps indoor waits to a minimum.

Sanitise frequently

Keep sanitiser handy with you and use it periodically. Bring hand sanitizer (with minimum 60% alcohol) and use it frequently, especially after you touch surfaces like door handles or walls. Ensure that you wash your hands immediately you get back home.

Obviously, Mask up

Please use mask mandatorily and choose your mask wisely. Those at higher risk should prefer a mask with minimal leakage around the sides. The air you breathe in should be filtered through the mask. Wearing a double mask can offer added protection.

Be prepared, carry your own pen.

We also suggest you carry your own blue or black pen in case you need to sign something or decide to fill out your absentee ballot and drop it there.

Use hand gloves

Precaution is better than cure. Use hand gloves only remove them when the pooling booth official asks you to put ink mark. Be sure to discard the used gloves immediately.

Think twice before taking kids

Leave kids at home, please go and vote alone. Do not get distracted from your two-fold purpose: voting and staying safe while you in a public setting.

Relax!

Do not panic! This election its paper ballot so you need not worry about touching the EVMs.