Rugby voters urged to prepare for polling day in time for May elections

Voters in Rugby are being urged to prepare for polling day in plenty of time for the local elections in May.

Rugby Borough Council has launched an 'Are You Election Ready?' campaign to make voters aware of a number of important changes to the way we vote, introduced in the Government's Elections Act 2022.

Postal voters must now sign a postal vote return form when hand-delivering a vote at a polling station or the Town Hall.

Failure to complete the form means the vote cannot be included in the election count.

A limit on the number of postal votes which can be hand-delivered by a single voter has also been introduced, with a voter now only allowed to hand-deliver up to six postal votes (including the voter's own).

Changes to proxy voting mean a registered voter can act as a proxy for a maximum of two people who live in the UK or, if acting as a proxy for overseas voters, up to four people (but only two of those four can live in the UK).

The Elections Act 2022 has also introduced a number of changes to the rules on voting from overseas.

The 15-year limit on voting rights for British citizens living overseas has been removed, meaning all British citizens living abroad can now vote at UK parliamentary elections.

And voters who intend to vote at a polling station have been reminded of the need to produce a valid form of photo ID in order to receive a ballot paper - a change first introduced at the local elections in May 2023.

Voters without a form of valid ID can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate.

Aftab Razzaq, Returning Officer for Rugby, said it was vital voters took the time now to plan ahead for polling day on 2 May - when elections take place for Rugby Borough Council and Warwickshire's Police and Crime Commissioner.

"The Elections Act has introduced a number of changes to the way we vote and the 'Are You Election Ready?' campaign aims to raise awareness of the new rules to ensure every eligible voter in the borough can vote in the local elections," Mr Razzaq said.

"From making sure you're registered to vote to checking you have valid photo ID to produce at a polling station, I'd urge all voters to get election ready now and put plans in place to vote on 2 May."

Voters can get election ready now at www.rugby.gov.uk/electionready