Local Council Elections 3rd May 2018

When is the next election?

• The next elections in St Albans City and District are scheduled to take place on Thursday 3rd May 2018.

What is the election on 3rd May 2018 for?

• District Council elections will be taking place throughout St Albans City and District. St Albans City & District Council will oversee elections in all 20 district wards. There are also by-elections taking place in the St Albans North division of Hertfordshire County Council, and in the North West ward of London Colney Parish Council.

Can I vote in elections on the 3rd May 2018?

• You must be on the electoral register in order to vote.
• You can vote on 3rd May 2018 if you are a British, Irish, qualifying Commonwealth, or qualifying European Union citizen.
• Further details regarding the eligibility criteria for voting in the UK can be found at Your Vote Matters – Can I vote?
  

Who is standing for election?

• Details of the candidates standing for election are currently expected to be published on or around Monday 9th April 2018. These details will be available on our website, and will also be displayed at the St Albans City and District Council Offices at the Civic Centre, St Peters Street, St Albans, AL1 3JE.

Where can I find the results of the election?

• We expect the results of the elections to be declared overnight on 3rd – 4th May. Once the results have been declared, the results will be published on our website. These results will also be displayed at the St Albans City and District Council Offices at the Civic Centre, St Peters Street, St Albans, AL1 3JE.

Am I registered to vote?

• If you are registered to vote, you should receive a poll card shortly before the election. Poll cards are expected to reach voters by the beginning of April 2018.
• If you are unsure whether you are registered to vote, please contact the Electoral Services team on 01727 819294 or elections@stalbans.gov.uk.

I’m not registered to vote. How do I register?

• The deadline for registering to vote in time for 3 May 2018 elections has now passed (17 April). You can register to vote at future elections by completing an online form at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. This form should only take a few minutes to complete. You will need your National Insurance number to hand if you have one.
• If you are unable to complete an online application form, please contact the Electoral Services team on 01727 819294 or elections@stalbans.gov.uk. We can then arrange for a paper form to be posted out to you.
• Further details about registering to vote can be found on our “Registering to Vote & FAQs” page.

How do I vote?

• If you are registered to vote, you should receive a poll card shortly before the election. This will tell you when and where you can cast your vote. Poll cards are for information only, and you can still cast your vote if you lose or forget your poll card.
• Most people cast their vote in person by attending their local polling station on the day of the election. Polling stations will be open between 7am and 10pm on Thursday 3rd May 2018. Poll clerks will be available at all polling stations to assist voters with queries.
• If you are unable to attend your polling station in person on the 3rd May, you can apply for an absent vote. Please see the sections below for further details.

I don’t know who to vote for. Can you give me any information?

• As the administrators of the election, we must remain politically neutral. Therefore, we are unable to provide any information on the policies of particular candidates. Further details of political parties’ policies can often be found on their websites. Candidates are also likely to visit properties in the run-up to the election to deliver information about their particular policies.

I can’t get to my polling station on the day of the election. Can I still vote?

• If you are unable to attend your polling station to vote in person, you can apply for an absent vote. There are two types of absent vote: a postal vote, and a proxy vote.

• A postal vote allows you to cast your vote by post. Postal ballot papers are usually sent out 1 to 2 weeks before an election, and completed ballot papers must be received by the elections’ office before 10pm on the day of the election. The deadline for completing an application form to enable you to vote by post is 5pm on Wednesday 18th April. Further information regarding postal voting, including the relevant application forms, can be found online at Your Vote Matters – Voting by post. Alternatively, please contact the Electoral Services team on 01727 819294 or elections@stalbans.gov.uk.
• A proxy vote allows you to nominate somebody that you trust to attend your polling station in order to cast your vote on your behalf. The deadline for completing an application form to enable you to vote by proxy is 5pm on Wednesday 25th April. Further information regarding proxy voting, including the relevant application forms, can be found online at Your Vote Matters – Voting by proxy. Alternatively, please contact the Electoral Services team on 01727 819294 or elections@stalbans.gov.uk.

I have a postal vote set up; can I go to the polling station instead this year?

• Yes, but in order to vote at your polling station you would need to cancel your postal vote. This can be done up until 5pm on Wednesday 18th April 2018. After this date, your postal vote cannot be cancelled. Please contact the Electoral Services team on 01727 819294 for further details of how to cancel a postal vote.
• Alternatively, you may return your completed postal voting pack by hand to a polling station within your electoral area. The postal vote ballot paper and postal vote statement must be sealed in the return envelope, which must be handed to the Presiding Officer.

It’s after the deadline to apply for a proxy vote, but I’ve just found out that I can’t attend my polling station on the day of the election. Can I still vote?

• If you find out that you are unable to attend your polling station after the deadline for proxy applications, you may be eligible to apply for an emergency proxy vote. If you meet the criteria, you can apply for an emergency proxy vote up until 5pm on the day of the election.

• If you have a medical emergency after the normal proxy deadline, and that emergency means that you cannot go to the polling station in person, you can apply to vote by emergency proxy. You will need to complete an application form, and this form will need to be supported by a qualified person (e.g. a medical practitioner or social worker).
• You can also apply to vote by emergency proxy if your occupation, service or employment means that you cannot go to the polling station in person, and you only become aware of that fact after the normal proxy deadline. You will need to complete an application form, and this form will need to be supported by a qualified person (e.g. your employer).

• Further information regarding voting by emergency proxy, including the relevant application forms, can be found online at Your Vote Matters – Voting by proxy. Alternatively, please contact the Electoral Services team on 01727 819294 or elections@stalbans.gov.uk.