Get Ready To Cast Your Vote – Local Elections Fast Approaching

The local elections are to be held on Thursday 04 May, and Vale of Glamorgan residents are being urged to prepare to have their say. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By voting, you will be deciding who represents you and your neighbours in the Vale, and who makes decisions on the provision of local services, such as education services, leisure and recreation facilities, as well as roads and footpaths. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As we enter the final week of March, there are some important dates you should bear in mind when it comes to the local election. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

There are a few ways you can vote, but, it is important that you register first. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The deadline to register to vote is Thursday 13 April. Residents can apply to register to vote at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. To do so is easy: all you will need is your National Insurance number, date of birth and address. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

You can vote in these elections if you have registered to vote in the UK, and will be 18 or over on 04 May 2017. Voters must also be: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• a British or Irish citizen, or
• a citizen of another European Union country, or
• a Commonwealth citizen who has leave to remain in the UK or who does not require leave to remain in the UK.

British citizens living overseas cannot vote in these election. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Once you have registered to vote, you may wish to decide how you are going to cast that vote. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

There are three ways you can vote. The first is in person: you will receive a poll card telling you which polling station to visit on 04 May, and will cast your vote there. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Alternatively, you may wish to vote by post. To do so, you must have applied to register by 13 April. Your application to vote by post must arrive no later than 5pm on Tuesday 18 April. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Finally, you can also vote by proxy. This means that you might choose someone to vote on your behalf. Again, you must have applied to register by 13 April, and you must submit your application to arrive no later than 5pm on Tuesday 25 April. Both you and your proxy must be registered to vote in order to vote this way. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To download the application forms for a postal or proxy vote, visit www.yourvotematters.co.uk. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​