Ensure you have your say in the General Election

Polling cards for the General Election will be dropping through people’s letterboxes in the next few days – and Cheshire East Council is urging people to ‘act sooner rather than later’ if they require a postal vote.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5 pm on Tuesday 26 November. Completed forms must be received by the Cheshire East Council elections team before this deadline.

Postal vote packs will then be issued around 27 November to registered voters who requested them.

The deadline to register to vote is also Tuesday 26 November and Cheshire East Council is actively supporting the Electoral Commission’s drive to boost voter registration. Remember: If you’re not registered and therefore can’t vote – you haven’t got a voice.So, if you are not registered, you could miss out on being able to vote in the upcoming election.

Polling cards are being posted to registered electors. If you have not received your polling card by Monday 18 November, you should contact the council by ringing 0300 123 5016 to ensure you are registered to vote.

Alternatively, if you are not already registered, you can register to vote via the government’s Gov.UK website at: www.gov.uk/registertovote

Cheshire East Council’s acting chief executive Kath O’Dwyer, who is the Acting Returning Officer for elections in the borough, said: “It is important that everyone who is eligible is able to have their say in the General Election. So don’t leave it too late to register to vote or register for a postal ballot.

“A healthy democracy needs actively-engaged voters – and you won’t be able to vote if you aren’t registered or respond too late for the election deadlines.

“It is important that people have the chance to have their say on the local, national and international issues that impact on us all. So, I would urge everyone of voting age to spend just the handful of minutes it takes to ensure they are registered to vote.”

The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is also looming.The deadline to apply for a proxy vote, where a voter nominates a trusted person to cast a vote on their behalf, is 5pm, Wednesday 4 December. Completed forms must be received by the Cheshire East Council elections team before this deadline.

Anyone looking for more information about voting should visit the website: www.yourvotematters.co.uk

Anyone who is not yet registered to vote should apply now at: www.gov.uk/registertovote

Anyone who was registered to vote at the local council elections last May will not need to re-register in order to take part in the 2019 General Election – providing your details have remained the same.

Remember: registering to vote does not mean you have to – it just means you don’t lose out on the opportunity to do so.

On polling day, Thursday 12 December, polling stations will be open between 7am and 10pm. Information about voting at this election is available from the Electoral Commission at: www.yourvotematters.co.uk