Local Elections 2021: Register to Vote

Up for election this year is the Welsh Parliament, the Scottish Parliament, many local authorities across England, English metro Mayors, and the Greater London Assembly including the Mayor of London
  1. Check what elections are taking place in your area
  2. Check eligibility requirements
  3. Register to vote – and consider applying for a postal vote
  4. Make a plan

After a period of questioning whether the elections scheduled for May 6th would be delayed once more, it appears that the elections will definitely go ahead.

Up for election this year is the Welsh Parliament, the Scottish Parliament, many local authorities across England, English metro Mayors, and the Greater London Assembly including the Mayor of London. To find out if there are any elections taking place in your area, you can check here.

There are different eligibility requirements to vote in the UK, which you can check here.

In addition to eligibility requirements, you must all be registered to participate in elections. You can do that here. You will be asked your national insurance number when you register – but you can still register if you do not have one.

As part of the registration process, you will be asked whether you would like a postal vote. With the ongoing pandemic, we would strongly encourage people to apply for a postal vote.

You can also request a proxy vote – this means that you can request for someone to vote on your behalf.

Once you’ve registered, make a plan to vote. If you have applied for a postal vote, keep an eye out for the paperwork in the post. If you have a proxy vote, make sure your proxy knows how you want them to vote. If you’re going to the polling station on election day, double-check the location of your polling station.

You should get a polling card through the post a few days before the election from your local council telling you where your polling station is. If not, call the council to find out where it is.

To find out your local polling station please visit Where do I Vote?

If you have any unanswered questions, please contact Kerri Prince, BASW’s Public and Political Affairs Lead, kerri.prince@basw.co.uk