Register to vote in time to have your say in May

 Under the Parliament Act 2022, a General Election must also be held before January 28, 2025.

To vote in these important elections, residents must be on the electoral register. With the deadline to register to vote fast approaching for May’s election, Central Bedfordshire Council is urging people who have not yet registered at their current address to make sure they are registered in time.

The deadline to register to vote is midnight on April 16, 2024. It takes just five minutes to apply online at  GOV.UK

The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) oversees your local police force and seeks to ensure they are prioritising what matters to you.

There are a number of ways to have your say in the May elections – you can vote in a polling station, by post or by appointing someone you trust to vote on your behalf, which is known as a proxy vote.

Voters are also now required by law to provide acceptable photo ID when voting in person. The full list of accepted photo ID is available on the   Electoral Commission’s website, along with more information about the new requirement and details of how to apply for the free ID.

Marcel Coiffait, Returning Officer for Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “PCC elections give the public a chance to choose someone to hold their local police force to account. They are an important part of the workings of local democracy and I encourage everyone eligible to vote and use this opportunity to influence policing in the county for the next four years.

“If you have recently turned 18 or moved house, perhaps as a student moving back home, it is particularly important that you act to ensure that you are registered to vote. However, if you were registered to vote in the last election and your details have not changed, you don’t need to take any action. If in doubt, you can check if you are registered by calling 0300 300 8008”

Voters have a range of options for casting their ballot – in person, by post or by appointing someone they trust to vote in their place, known as a proxy vote  How to vote: Overview – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

For those who choose to vote in person, polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on 2 May. The deadline for completed postal vote applications to be received by the elections team is 5pm on 17 April 2024, and the deadline for receipt of completed applications for a proxy vote is 5pm on 24 April 2024.  Changes have been made to postal vote handling, if you are an existing postal voters please read the instructions carefully to ensure your vote is accepted.

For information on the PCC elections, how to register to vote, or how to apply to vote by post or by proxy, voters can visit the  Electoral Commission website.