Staffordshire Moorlands District Council

STAFFORDSHIRE Moorlands District Council is urging residents not to wait until the General Election has been announced, to make sure they can vote.

The council has also asked people to consider applying to vote either by post or by proxy if they are away during the election period.

The Prime Minister can call a General Election at any time but it must be before, or on, June 3 2010. The time between the election date being announced and the last chance to register to vote can be a matter of days, so it is important for residents to ensure that they are able to vote now.
 
If residents have recently moved house or if they will soon be 18 and their name does not appear on the electoral register, then they won't be able to vote.

Registering to vote only takes a few minutes. A form can be printed off from either of the websites at:  www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk or www.aboutmyvote.co.uk Alternatively residents can pick up an application form from any of the District Council's One-stop Shops at Leek, Biddulph and Cheadle or can request a form by calling Electoral Services on 01538 395500.

Likely to be away for the Election?

If residents are likely to be away during part of the Election period or are unable to vote at their local polling station, they are asked to consider applying to vote either by post or by proxy.

Postal vote packs will be issued to all postal voters just under two weeks before the Election and must be returned by the close of Poll on Election Day.
Postal votes can be sent to a home address or to another address of choice but residents need to bear in mind the length of time it will take to receive it and send it back.

Voting by proxy is where someone votes at the polling station on their behalf. This could be a relative, a friend or anyone else who is trusted. This method may be the most convenient if a resident is likely to be away for a longer period of time. They must provide a reason for wanting to vote by proxy and in some circumstances their application will require a signature from a supporter.

Application forms for voting by post or by proxy are available from the Electoral Registration Officer on 01538 395500. The deadline for postal vote applications is 11 working days before the Election and the deadline for proxy vote applications is 6 working days before the Election. Polling Stations will be open from 7:00am to 10:00pm on Election Day.

For more information about registration and absent voting, please contact Electoral Services on 01538 395500 or visit: www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/elections.

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