Are you registered to vote?

On Thursday 2 May, there will be elections for the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia and for Kidderminster Town Council.

If you have not already registered to vote and would like to have your say in the elections, you need to register by Tuesday 16 April. It is quick and easy to do online.

Voters can also vote by post or proxy. Anyone can apply for a postal vote which allows you much greater flexibility about when you complete your ballot paper. Anyone not already registered for a postal or proxy vote will need to complete an application form, which is available on the Wyre Forest District Council website.

The deadline for new postal voting requests is 5pm on Wednesday 17 April. For proxy votes it is 5pm on Wednesday 24 April.

Changes to voting by post and proxy

You can now apply online to vote by post and for some types of proxy vote. You also need to prove your identity when applying, by providing your National Insurance number.

The rules on who can hand in postal votes have changed. We are urging anyone with a postal vote to send it back in the post as soon as possible rather than handing it in at polling station. For full information on the changes visit the electoral commission’s website.

Do you have Voter ID?

To vote in a polling station you will need to show photo ID. You may already have an acceptable form of photo ID like a passport, driving licence or blue badge. If you don’t you can apply for a free voter ID document known as a Voter Authority Certificate (VAC). The deadline for this is 5pm on Wednesday 24 April.