Approximately 48million people will be eligible to take to the polls tomorrow, Thursday May 6, for the local elections 2021.
Local elections take place every four years, and this time there will be numerous elections across England, Wales and Scotland.
Citizens will be able to elect 143 English local councils, 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament, 60 Members of the Welsh Senedd, 39 Police and Crime Commissioners, 25 London Assembly seats and 13 directly-elected mayors.
Before millions of people take to the polls tomorrow, you might be wondering if you are eligible to vote.
Here is everything you need to know, including whether EU citizens can vote in local elections.
Who can vote in local elections?
Firstly, to vote you have to have registered to vote.
The deadline has already passed for registering to vote in the local elections 2021, but you can still register for upcoming elections.
You also have to:
• be 18 or over on the day of the election, or 16 in Scotland
• be registered at an address in the area you want to vote in
• not be legally excluded from voting
In Wales it’s a bit more complicated – people who are aged over 16 can vote in the Welsh parliament election, but must be 18 or over to vote for police and crime commissioners.
Can EU citizens vote?
Yes, as well as British citizens, EU citizens who live in the UK, and Commonwealth citizens who has (or doesn’t need) permission to stay in the UK, can also vote in local elections in England.
In Scotland and Wales, any foreign citizen living legally in he country can vote.
You can read more about how to check if you're eligible on the government website.
How to vote at the polling station
Check your polling card to make sure you are heading to your dedicated polling station.
You can bring your polling card with you, but it’s not essential to have it.
Don’t forget to take a mask with you as well as your own pen or pencil if you can.
Once you have registered at the polling station you will be handed a ballot paper.
What you will vote on depends on the type of election being held in your area.
Read the instructions carefully – because in some elections you will be asked to choose more than one candidate.
Take your ballot paper to one of the private booths, and mark your vote.
Put your ballot in the ballot box once you have made your choice.
