Council elections are on Thursday 5 May – are you registered to vote?

Elections to Bury Council take place on Thursday 5 May – and there are several important changes that voters need to be aware of.

Firstly:

The Local Boundary Commission for England has drawn up new ward boundaries. For most residents, nothing will change. You will still vote in the same ward and at the same polling station as before.

However, there will be changes for some residents:

• You may now be in a different ward
• The name of your ward may have changed
• You may have to vote in a different polling station

Please check your poll card when it arrives so you know where to vote.

Secondly:

The boundary changes mean that this year there is an ‘all-out’ election.

In other words, all 51 seats on the council are up for election, rather than the traditional 17 each year.

At this election, therefore, you can cast your vote for up to 3 candidates. You can vote for whoever you wish, but you cannot vote 3 times for the one person.

The poll clerk at your polling station will explain how it works if you have any questions on voting day.

Registering to vote

If you are not already on the electoral roll, the deadline to register to vote in these elections is midnight on Thursday 14 April 2022. To register, go to https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.You will be asked for your National Insurance number, but you can still register if you do not have one.

Postal votes

If you don’t usually vote by post, you can apply for one by downloading a form here: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/apply-vote-post.

You will need to return this form before 5pm on Tuesday 19 April 2022. Once you have provided the required information, you will be sent you a ballot paper approximately two weeks before the day of the election. If you apply to vote by post, you will not be able to vote in person at a polling station.

Proxy vote

A proxy vote allows someone you trust to vote on your behalf. You need to request a proxy vote by 5pm on Tuesday 26 April 2022.

You can download a form here: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/apply-vote-proxy

Once you have provided the relevant information, your proxy will be able to go to the polling station and vote on your behalf.

Postal proxy vote

If your trusted person can't get to the polling station, they can apply to vote for you by post. This is called a postal proxy vote.

The deadline to apply for a postal proxy vote is 5pm on Tuesday 19 April 2022.

To apply, call 0161 253 5252 or email electionservices@bury.gov.uk

Do not delay – please apply as soon as possible if you want to vote by post or proxy.

There may be situations where you had intended to go to the polling station on the day but then have a medical emergency or another unforeseen reason why you cannot vote in person, after the postal and proxy vote deadlines have passed.

In these situations, you can ask for a proxy vote by 5pm on the day of the election. Please call the elections team on 0161 253 5252 or email electionservices@bury.gov.uk

ENDS

Press release issued: 28 March 2022.