Make Sure You're Registered to vote
On Thursday 2 May residents in Reigate & Banstead will go to the polls to have their say on who represents them at a local level. This year every Borough Council seat will be up for election as a result of last year’s ward boundary review by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE).
Borough Councillors are responsible for making decisions on running services in your local area, including housing, planning, parks, leisure and public safety, waste management and how the Council’s budget is spent.
There will be 45 seats up for election to represent 15 three-councillor wards. This means residents will be voting for three candidates instead of just one. The ward boundary changes also mean that there may be changes to where people need to go to vote.
Elections are also due to be held for Horley Town Council and Salfords & Sidlow Parish Council.
To vote in these important elections, residents must be on the electoral register. Reigate & Banstead Borough Council is urging anyone who has not yet registered at their current address to make sure they do so in plenty of time.
The deadline to register to vote is midnight on Friday 12 April. Anyone can apply online at gov.uk/register-to-vote. It takes just five minutes.
John Jory, Electoral Registration Officer for Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, said: “Time is running out to make sure you can take part in the local elections. They are an 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 Reigate & Banstead. If you’re not registered by 12 April, you won’t be able to vote.”
Phillippa Saray, Electoral Commission Regional Manager for the East and Southeast of England, said: “If you have recently turned 18 or moved home, it is particularly important that you act to ensure that you are registered to vote. It takes just five minutes online and means that you can take part in this important election.”
The Council is also urging residents to look out for their letter telling them who is registered to vote in their household. If you were registered to vote in the last election and all the details in your letter are correct, you don't need to respond. To make changes visit www.householdresponse.com/reigate. If in doubt, you can check if you are registered by giving us a call on 01737 276794.
The letter also says which polling station householders must go to to vote in May - it may be different than before due to the ward boundary changes.
