From Thursday 4th May 2023 you are now required to show photographic identification at polling stations before you can be given a ballot paper.

For more information please visit our dedicated page on the new Photographic Identification requirements here.

If you are on the Register of Electors you will receive a poll card a few weeks before the elections. This will tell you how, where and when to vote. This card is for information only so don't worry if you lose it or forget it - you can still vote without the poll card but it is easier if you have it with you.

You will be assigned to a polling station in your area, for example at a school or village hall. On the day of the election you should go to the polling station during the times it is open - 7am to 10pm for all elections. Here you will be given a ballot paper which is pre-printed with an official mark. The ballot paper will say how many candidates you can vote for (in some local elections you may have more than one vote). Take the ballot paper to one of the polling booths and put a cross in the box next to the name of the candidate(s) you want to support. Do not write anything else on the ballot paper, otherwise your vote might not count. Once you have voted you must fold the ballot paper to hide your vote, show your folded ballot paper to the clerk before you put it in the locked ballot box. You don't have to tell anyone who you voted for.

From Thursday 4th May 2023 if you choose to vote by proxy, then the person who you have trusted to vote on your behalf will have to take their own photographic identification to be issued a ballot paper at the polling station. 

Postal voters will not be affected and will be issued with their postal ballot papers as usual, including postal proxies.

For more infromation please visit our dedicated page on the new Photographic Identification requirements here.

If you know you will not be able to get to the polling station on election day, you can apply to vote by post or proxy vote. You can find more information on this in the Absent vote section on this website.

The list of candidates nominated for an election is normally available approximately one month before the election. The list will normally be published on the Elections page under the relevant election.

To be entitled to vote, your name must be on the Register of Electors. Refer to the section on the Electoral Register for further information.