On 4th May local elections will be held in Nottingham. This will be your chance to vote for the councillors that you feel will represent you best for the next four years.
While you can vote in person on 4th May if you are registered, many people may find it easier to vote via postal vote. A postal vote means you don’t need to attend on polling day, so if you are busy with work or life commitments you won’t miss out on your chance to cast your rightful democratic vote.
The deadline for postal votes is 5pm next Tuesday 18th April. The postal vote form is simple to complete and you won’t require any ID, you just need to be is registered to vote. A copy of the form can be found at: Postal Vote English.indd (nottinghamcity.gov.uk).
Postal Vote Application forms can be returned to the Nottingham City Elections team in the post or by email as a scanned attachment or picture. If sending your application form by email as a scanned attachment or picture, the image must be clear and show a signed form and not a typed signature.
Return either a scan or clear picture of the the signed form via email to us at [email protected]
Or return the form to the following address:
Electoral Services, Loxley House, Station Street, Nottingham, NG2 3NG.
If you aren’t registered to vote at all you can still register to vote in May as long as you do so by 11:59pm on 17th April. Registering to vote is quick and simple all you will need is your national insurance number and you can register online: Register to vote – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Postal votes are especially important this year, as the government have introduced new voter ID laws. These laws means that to vote in person you will need to present ID. These laws are unacceptable in raising a barrier to voting access, and clearly are designed to benefit the tory government, but we cannot change them, and they shouldn’t put you off voting. The ID required can range from a passport or driving license to a senior bus pass or Blue Badge.
A full list of acceptable forms of ID can be found by clicking here. If you have an expired form of accepted ID, then this can be used as long as the picture is still a true likeness of you. Please note photocopies or pictures of your ID on a smartphone will not be accepted and the original form of ID must be shown in the polling station. If you don’t have acceptable ID, you can apply for a free voter ID document, the deadline for which is 5pm on Tuesday 25th April.
However you vote whether in-person or via postal vote it is integral that you do vote. Voting is one of the most important democratic rights that anyone holds. It is through voting that we chose who is in power, it is through voting that the future of Nottingham will be decided. So please ensure that you are registered to vote on 4th May, and that you go out and vote. We hope that’ll you’ll be voting for Nottingham Labour so that we can continue to serve the people of Nottingham.