09 February 2021

Voting safely at elections in May

On Thursday 6 May 2021 residents in King’s Lynn & West Norfolk will go to the polls to have their say on who represents them at both Police Crime & Commissioner and Norfolk County Council elections.

Even though elections are not until May, we’re already making plans to help you stay safe while casting your vote.

There are a number of ways to have your say – you can vote in a polling station, by post, or by appointing someone you trust to vote on your behalf, which is known as a proxy vote.

Lorraine Gore, Local Returning Officer for King’s Lynn & West Norfolk said: “Elections are very important – 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 King’s Lynn & West Norfolk.

“Preparing for an election at any time is resource intensive, preparing for an election during a pandemic is a whole different challenge.  The elections scheduled for 6 May 2021 are still scheduled to go ahead.   We are planning for these elections now so that, however you choose to cast your vote in May, you can do so safely. We will be putting arrangements in place to help you stay safe at the polling station but you also have the option to apply to vote by post or by proxy.”

Ailsa Irvine, Director of Electoral Administration and Guidance at the Electoral Commission said: “The choice on how to vote at May’s elections is yours – you can have your say in person, by post or by proxy.

“If you’re thinking about voting by post, you can apply now. This will make sure your application is processed early, and your postal vote can be sent to you more quickly. It’s easy to apply and you can find out how by visiting the Electoral Commission website.

“You need to be registered to vote in order to have a say at the elections – the easiest way to register is online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote”