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Across North Somerset, a total of 167,290 people are eligible to vote in the local elections on Thursday 4 May.
It’s your opportunity to help choose who will take the 50 seats on North Somerset Council and the 436 seats on the area’s 39 parish councils.
Those elected have responsibility for deciding how council services are delivered – so it’s important you have your say on who these people are.
Who can I vote for?
The 50 seats on North Somerset Council cover 35 wards.
Of these, 20 wards are each represented by one councillor and 15 wards have two seats up for election.
A full list of all candidates is on the North Somerset Council website, by clicking on the ‘statement of person’s nominated’ link (for both district and parish).
Postal and proxy votes
If you’ve opted for a postal vote, these started to go out this week.
Please return it as soon as possible to avoid any risk of your vote arriving too late due to postal backlogs.
This year we’ve issued 28,389 postal voting packs, an increase on the last local elections in 2019 when we issued 26,565.
If you’ve missed the deadline for a postal vote but know you won’t be able to get to the polling station on the day, there is still time to apply for a proxy vote, when someone you trust votes on your behalf.
Applications must be made through the GOV.UK website by 5pm next Tuesday (25 April).
So far this year we have about 150 proxy votes, down from 322 in 2019.
What happens on polling day?
Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 4 May.
Across North Somerset, more than 500 elections staff will be working at 128 polling stations.
These are held in churches, community venues and more unique spaces, such as the children’s room at the Black Horse pub in Clapton-in-Gordano and the vestry in St Mary’s Church, Leigh Woods.
Your poll card will tell you which polling station to go to. It’s allocated based on your address on the electoral register. You do not need to take the polling card with you but you do need photographic proof of identity.
See the Electoral Commissions website about what to expect when voting in-person.
All polling stations are accessible. If you require extra help, there are staff at all polling stations who are ready to assist you. This could be help accessing the polling station or using specially designed tools to help you cast your vote.
Alternatively, you can choose a companion to come along to the polling station with you to help you cast your vote. The presiding officer at the station will be able to help you with this on polling day.
Voter ID needed
This is the first year you’ll need to take photographic proof of identity to vote in-person at a polling station.
There are lots of acceptable forms of ID, such as a passport, driving licence, Blue Badge or bus pass.
If you don’t have one of these, or aren’t sure if the photo still looks like you, you can apply for a free voter ID document, known as the Voter Authority Certificate.
However, you must apply by 5pm next Tuesday (25 April) to be in time for our local elections.
Apply through the GOV.UK website - apply for a Voter Authority Certificate or find out more on the North Somerset Council website - more about Voting ID.
In-line with guidance from the Electoral Commission, Presiding Officers at polling stations will be keeping a record of how many people do not bring a valid ID with them.
When will I find out the results?
Once the polls close at 10pm and the first ballot boxes arrive at the count venue, the votes can be verified.
This is the legal process where the number of used, unused and spoilt papers is verified.
The count will then start at 9.30am on Friday 5 May.
We’ll be covering the verification and count live on our Twitter feed, using #NSElections2023.
Declarations will be available on the North Somerset Council elections results webpage after the count.