Get ready to have your say this May

Polling cards are dropping through letterboxes as Cheshire East voters get ready to have their say on who represents them as the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire.

Voters will go to the polls on Thursday 2 May and they are being urged to check that they have valid voter photo ID – which is the law for UK elections – and note the location of their local polling station, which may have changed.

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

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, Cheshire East 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 16 April 2024. It takes just five minutes to apply online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

There are several 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, at: electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID.​

Returning Officer Rob Polkinghorne said: “I would urge people to act now – so you don’t lose your chance to have your say on 2 May. If you are not already registered to vote at your current address, please take just a few minutes to register and ensure you can take part in these elections.

“The police and crime commissioner elections are an opportunity to make your voice heard and have a say on who represents you on issues that directly impact daily life in Cheshire East. If you are not registered by 16 April 2024, you won’t be able to vote.

“I would also urge all voters to check that they have valid voter photo ID to be able to vote in person on election day – or to apply in good time for a postal or proxy vote.”

For those who choose to vote in person, polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on 2 May. The deadline for completed applications to be received for a postal vote is 5pm on 17 April 2024. Applications for a postal vote can be made online at:  gov.uk/apply-postal-vote. The deadline for receipt of completed applications for a proxy vote is 5pm on 24 April 2024.

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 www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections. This page will continue to be updated ahead of the polls.

Further information is available on the council’s website. Search under voting and elections or use this link.