Voters urged to register to have their say in May

Residents can have their say on who represents them on Trafford Council, on Thursday 5 May.

In order to vote, residents must be on the electoral register. With the deadline to register to vote fast approaching, the Council is urging people who are not registered at their current address to make sure they are registered in time.

The deadline to register to vote is midnight on Thursday 14 April. It takes just five minutes to apply online at gov.uk/register-to-vote.

This year residents will be voting in all 21 wards to choose their local councillor. The Council oversees local services for the borough’s residents, including social care, schools, bin collections, libraries and leisure centres

Sara Todd, Returning Officer for Trafford Council, said:

“Time is running out to make sure you can take part in these elections.

“They are an important 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 Trafford. If you’re not registered by 14 April, you won’t be able to vote.”

Ailsa Irvine, Director of Electoral Administration and Guidance at the Electoral Commission, said:

“You can’t have your say in these elections unless you are registered to vote. Registering is easy and only takes five minutes.

“If you have recently turned 18 or moved home, it is particularly important to make sure you are correctly registered to vote.

“If you were registered to vote in the last election and your details have not changed, you don’t need to take any action. If in doubt, you can check with your local authority by emailing elections@trafford.gov.uk.”

People can choose to vote in a number of ways – in person, by post or by appointing someone they trust to vote in their place, known as a proxy vote.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on 19 April, and for a proxy vote the deadline is 5pm on 26 April.

For information on elections in their area, how to register to vote, or how to apply to vote by post or by proxy, please visit www.trafford.gov.uk/elections.