Important information for the upcoming elections

All borough residents are about to receive important information about the elections taking place later this year.

Letters will land on doormats in the next few days reminding voters of the various polls and the deadlines to be on the electoral register, obtain a postal vote and the need to have photo ID if voting in person.

On Thursday 2 May, there will be elections to Bury Council and for the Greater Manchester Mayor. There will also be a General Election at some point this year.

For ALL these elections:

Photographic Identification

If you vote in person at a polling station, you will need to show identification with a photograph. You can use any of the following:

• Passport
• Driving licence (including provisional licence)
• Blue Badge
• Certain concessionary travel cards
• Identity card with PASS mark (Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
• Biometric Immigration document
• Defence identity card
• Certain national identity cards

If you do not bring photographic ID, you will not be able to vote. The photographic ID must be in the name that you are registered on the Electoral Register.

For further information about which forms of photo ID will be accepted, visit electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID or call their helpline on 0800 328 0280.

If you don’t have any of the photographic IDs listed above, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate from the Government. To apply, go to www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificateor call the helpline 0800 328 0280.

The Bury Council and GM Mayoral elections

In the Bury Council elections, one seat in each of the borough’s 17 wards is up for election. The candidates will be announced on Monday 8 April 2024, as will the candidates for the GM Mayoral election.

Registering to vote

You must be on the electoral register to vote. If you are not already on the electoral roll, the deadline to register to vote in these elections is midnight on Tuesday 16 April 2024. To register, go to https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.You will be asked for your National Insurance number, but you can still register if you do not have one.

Postal vote

You can also vote by post. If you do not usually vote by post, you can apply online at https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote.

You will need to apply by 5pm on Wednesday 17 April 2024. We will send you a ballot paper about two weeks before the day of the election. If you apply to vote by post, you will not be able to vote in person at a polling station.

Proxy vote

You can also ask for a proxy vote, which allows someone you trust to vote on your behalf on polling day. The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is Wednesday 24 April 2024 – go tohttps://www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote

Postal proxy vote

If your trusted person can't get to the polling station, they can apply to vote for you by post. This is called a postal proxy vote.

The deadline to apply for a postal proxy vote is 5pm on Wednesday 17 April 2024. To apply, call 0161 253 5252 or email electionservices@bury.gov.uk

There may be a reason, such as a medical emergency, which prevents you from voting on the day, and deadlines for postal and proxy votes deadlines have passed.

In these situations, you can ask for an emergency proxy vote by 5pm on the day of the election. Please call the elections team on 0161 253 5252 or email electionservices@bury.gov.uk

ENDS

Press release issued: 6 March 2024.