Postal votes to be sent out this week

Postal votes for the Local Election on 7 May are being sent out this week, and Wakefield Council is urging residents to return them as soon as possible.

People will receive instructions with their ballot paper on how to complete the postal vote. Anyone with a postal vote cannot vote in person at a polling station. However, completed forms can be handed in at any polling station within the same constituency on the day of the election, any time up to 10pm. Postal votes can also be handed in at the Electoral Services Office, Town Hall, Wakefield up to 10pm on election day.

For the election taking place on 7 May, people will be only able to hand in their own postal vote, and the postal votes of up to five other people, at a polling station or to their local council. When handing in postal votes, people will need to complete a form. They will need to include their name and address, how many postal votes they are handing in and why they are handing in those postal votes.

This year, all 63 Wakefield Council seats are up for election. People will be able to vote for three candidates in their ward by putting a cross in the boxes on their ballot paper. The candidate elected in first place will serve for four years, second place for two years and third place for one year.

The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 5pm on Tuesday 28 April at https://www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote

On the day of the election, polls will be open from 7am to 10pm. The local election count will take place at Thornes Park Athletics Stadium on Friday 8 May.

The list of candidates for the election is available to view at https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/elections/statements-of-persons-nominated

For more information about the elections process or previous election results, visit http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/elections