Voters urged to register to have their say in May

On Thursday 5 May people in Reigate & Banstead will have their say on who represents them on Reigate & Banstead Borough Council.

To be able to vote in May, residents must be on the electoral register. The deadline to register to vote is midnight on Thursday 14 April. It takes just five minutes to apply online at gov.uk/register-to-vote.

This year residents in Reigate & Banstead will be voting to select their Borough Councillors, who represent residents and their local area, and contribute to the development of policies and make decisions on services at a local level including planning, parks, leisure and community facilities, recycling and waste collection, housing and environmental health.

Don't lose your vote

Mari Roberts-Wood, Electoral Registration Officer for Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, said: “Time is running out to make sure you can take part in these elections. They are an important opportunity to make your voice heard and have a say on who represents you on issues that directly affect day-to-day life here in the borough of Reigate & Banstead. If you’re not registered by 14 April, you won’t be able to vote.”

Ailsa Irvine, Director of Electoral Administration and Guidance at the Electoral Commission, said: “You can’t have your say in these elections unless you are registered to vote. Registering is easy and only takes five minutes.

“If you have recently turned 18 or moved home, it is particularly important to make sure you are correctly registered to vote.

“If you were registered to vote in the last election and your details have not changed, you don’t need to take any action. If in doubt, you can check with your council.”

How will you cast your vote?

People can choose to vote in a number of ways – in person at a polling station, by post or by appointing someone they trust to vote in their place, known as a proxy vote.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on 19 April, and for a proxy vote the deadline is 5pm on 26 April.

Making voting safe

“How ever you choose to cast your vote in May, you can do so safely”, added Mari Roberts-Wood, Electoral Registration Officer. “We’re putting arrangements in place to help you stay safe at the polling station. If you want to vote by post or proxy, please apply as soon as possible to receive your ballot in good time.”

More information

See the Voting and elections page for more information on elections on 5 May, how to register to vote, how to apply to vote by post or by proxy, or how polling stations will be kept safe. 

You ca also find more information on the Electoral Commission's website at www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voter.

These pages will continue to be updated ahead of the polls.

Residents who don’t have access to the internet can call us on 01737 276794.