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How to vote

There are some things you need to do before you can vote in an election.

  1. Register to vote

    To vote in any election you must be registered to vote.

    You need to register if you’ve never registered before, if you’ve moved home recently, or if you’ve changed your name.

  2. Make sure you've got suitable ID

    From 4 May 2023, you'll need to show photo ID when you vote in person or as a proxy for someone else. 

    Find a list of acceptable ID or how to get a voter ID certificate.

    Make sure you leave enough time before election day to get your ID sorted out.

  3. Find out where to vote

    You will receive a poll card through the post before the election. This explains which polling station to use.

    If you haven't received your poll card on the day of the election, don't worry, you can still cast your vote.

    You can also find your polling station on the where do I vote? website.

  4. Cast your vote

    You can either:

    • vote in person at your polling station
    • vote by post
    • vote by proxy

Vote in person

If your name is on the electoral register you can vote in person during elections. You can find out all you need to know about what to do on the day by reading the guidance on the government website.

Make sure you take your ID.

Staff at the polling station will check your ID and check if you’re on the register. If you are, you will be able to vote.

We’ve improved accessibility at our polling stations so everyone can vote more easily.

Vote by post

If your name is on the electoral register and you can't get to the polling station, you can apply to vote by post. 

You should submit your application for a postal vote at least 11 working days before the election you want to vote in.

We'll send your postal ballot pack to the address recorded on the electoral register. You should receive it between 10 and 6 days before polling day.

Electoral Commission's easy read guide to voting by post.

How to return your postal ballot pack

The fastest and safest way to return your pack is via Royal Mail. You should not allow candidates or their campaigners to return it for you as it may be rejected.

If you want to hand in your pack to the Council Office, you'll need to contact us first and complete a form at the time of return. 

Postal ballot packs left in the Civic Centre postbox will be rejected. Council reception staff are not able to accept them.

You can find out more about returning your postal vote on The Electoral Commission website.

Apply for a postal vote

You can apply for a postal vote online.

Alternatively, you can apply using a paper application form. You can:

It is important to include your contact details on the application form, so we can get in touch with you if we need more information.

Vote by proxy

If you are on the electoral register and can’t cast your vote in person or by post, you can apply for a proxy vote. This means someone nominated by you can cast your vote for you.

The nominated person will be able to visit a polling station or vote by post on your behalf. They will need to show their ID when they do this. Find out more about voter ID requirements.

Eligibility

Find out if you’re eligible to be a proxy.

A proxy can vote on behalf of 4 people including you. No more than 2 people can be living in the UK. The others can be:

  • British citizens living overseas
  • members of the armed forces (or spouse or civil partner of)
  • crown servants (or spouse or civil partner of)

For example, if 1 person is living in the UK, up to 3 others can be from the list above.

Apply for a proxy vote

It’s up to you to check with your proxy that they are eligible to vote for you.

You can apply for most proxy votes online.

Alternatively, you can apply using a paper application form. You can:

It is important that you provide your contact details on the application form so we are able to get in touch with you if we need more information.

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