West Suffolk prepares for first election for new council

Voters are being asked to make sure they are ready to ‘make their mark’ for the first election of the new West Suffolk Council.

The notice of election for the new council is being published today, Friday, March 22.

With six weeks to go before the May 2 local government elections, voters in West Suffolk are now being asked to make sure they are prepared to cast their vote.

The council is running a ‘make your mark’ campaign, as part of a national initiative, encouraging people to stand for election and vote.

There are just over 120,000 electors currently on the West Suffolk electoral register and this is expected to increase as the deadline to register approaches.

Poll cards are being sent to everyone already on the register. If electors have not received one by Friday, March 29, they may not be registered. But don’t worry – you have until Friday, April 12, to register to vote, by going towww.yourvotematters.co.uk

The poll cards show how electors have applied to vote: either on the day in person at a polling station, or by postal vote or proxy vote. Electors that vote at a polling station are asked to check this information carefully because the location of their polling station may have changed.

This will be the first election of the 64 West Suffolk councillors and will also be combined with any contested elections for the 117 parish and town councils across the area.

Overall there are 131 West Suffolk polling stations, including 17 new venues, one of which is a windmill at Thelnetham. New venues and new ward boundaries are the reasons for alerting electors to a change in polling station.

If electors think they will be away on May 2 and cannot vote in person, they have until 5pm on Monday, April 15, to apply online for a postal vote at www.yourvotematters.co.uk

If they miss the postal vote deadline, and cannot vote in person, electors can appoint someone as a proxy to vote on their behalf at their polling station. The deadline for arranging this is 5pm on Wednesday, April 24, at www.yourvotematters.co.uk

The names of candidates standing in wards will be published later on April 4 on the West Suffolk Council website at www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/elections