How to use the online timer
Keep your attention on the ballot paper while the three-second countdown runs, using the pause only to steady the pencil before marking one box with a single cross. The interval is deliberately brief: it separates the final check from the mark without turning a simple choice into a long distraction. On a UK ballot, keep the cross clearly inside the box beside the candidate or option you have already chosen.
With the ballot still in front of you, avoid closing the tab or browser during the countdown. Doing so may stop the timer or remove the visible finish, depending on the browser and phone settings. If you need the screen for another part of the task, leave the tab open and switch back promptly; otherwise, rely on the brief pause itself and continue carefully rather than waiting for a signal you may have dismissed.
Once the countdown interrupts your marking, return first to the exact box you had selected, not to the top of the paper. Check that the pencil has made one unambiguous cross and has not trailed into a neighbouring box. If the mark is already complete, use the remaining moment to lift the pencil and look once at the row; if it takes longer, finish the cross steadily instead of rushing to match the alert.
Common questions
What if I finish the single cross before this brief interval ends?
Lift the pencil and check that the mark sits in the intended box. There is no need to add another stroke merely because the countdown is still running.
What if marking my UK ballot takes longer than this interval?
Continue until the single cross is clear, even if the alert has already sounded. A crowded paper, a small box or voting with a pencil that makes a faint mark can naturally add a moment.
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