Voters in some parts of England and Northern Ireland will choose new councillors in May.
The deadline for registering to vote in England has passed.
In Northern Ireland, the deadline for registering to vote by post or proxy has also passed. Friday, 28 April, is the deadline for registering to vote in person.
Where and when are elections taking place?
On 4 May, more than 8,000 seats will be contested at 230 councils across England.
Mayoral elections are also taking place in Bedford, Leicester, Mansfield and Middlesbrough.
In Northern Ireland, 11 council elections are being held on 18 May.
There are no elections in Scotland or Wales.
Use our lookup to see if there is an election in your area, who is standing and where you can vote.
How can I vote?
- in person at your polling station
- by post
- by nominating a proxy to vote on your behalf
You can find your polling station here.
Voters (and proxies) must be:
- aged 18 or over
- registered at an address in the area where they want to vote
- a British citizen, an Irish or EU citizen or eligible Commonwealth citizen
- not legally excluded from voting
Rules vary so voters should read their ballot paper carefully.
Voters usually have one vote for each available seat in an election area (known as a ward or division). Large wards may have several seats.
Whoever receives the most votes wins.
Northern Ireland uses the single transferable vote (STV) system – where voters rank candidates in order of preference.
When do I need to register to vote by?
In England the deadlines to register to vote in person, by proxy or by post have passed.
If you missed the deadline to nominate a proxy but then find you can’t vote in person, you can apply for an emergency proxy vote before 17:00 on polling day.
In Northern Ireland, the deadline for registering to vote by post or proxy has also passed. Friday, 28 April, is the deadline for registering to to vote in person.
Will I need to bring ID to vote?
From 4 May 2023, voters in England must show photo ID to vote in person. You do not need to bring your poll card.
There are 22 forms of valid ID including:
- passports
- driving licences
- Older or Disabled Person’s bus passes
- Oyster 60+ cards
You can use out-of-date ID as long as you look the same.
Those without the right ID were encouraged to sign up for a free Voter Authority Certificate.
The deadline to apply in time to vote in the 4 May elections was 17:00 BST on 25 April. Just over 85,000 people asked for one – about 4% of the estimated two million people without valid ID.
Voter ID has been required in Northern Ireland since 2003. The deadline to apply for the NI Electoral Identity Card is 5 May.
Watch: Ione Wells explains the new rules for voting in England, in a minute
Can I bring my pet or my children?
Animals – apart from assistance dogs – are not usually allowed in polling stations.
However, other dogs can be admitted at the discretion of the local authority.
Image source, Getty Images
Voters are encouraged to bring children to polling stations to educate them about democracy – but they must not mark the ballot paper.
What do local councils do?
Local councils are responsible for many public services, including:
- providing care for the elderly and disabled
- schools
- fixing potholes on some roads
- collecting rubbish
In Northern Ireland councils have fewer responsibilities. They do not run education, road-building or housing, but do collect taxes and maintain some local services.
Why do these elections matter?
They decide who is in charge of local public services – and how they are run.
Local issues, such as contentious planning decisions, the state of roads or rubbish collection, often decide council elections.
Many services provided by councils have been disrupted by recent strikes.
Councils have seen long-term cuts to local government funding dating back to 2010, which followed the global financial crisis.
Image source, Getty Images
Rubbish collection is often an important local election topic
These elections could also be the last big test of the current Westminster government’s popularity ahead of the next general election, expected in 2024.
The last time these council seats were contested, in May 2019, the Conservatives lost more than 1,300 seats. Labour lost 82.
At the time, Theresa May was about to be replaced as prime minister by Boris Johnson.
The Conservatives are currently trailing Labour by about 15 points in national voting polls.
When will the results be known?
Results from more than 60 English councils are expected overnight, with the rest announced throughout the day on Friday 5 May.
In Northern Ireland votes are not counted overnight so results will start coming in on 19 May.
