European Parliamentary elections are less than a month away!

On Thursday 23 May residents in Wyre Forest will go to the polls to have their say on who represents them at European level.

European elections take place every five years and, unless the House of Commons approves a deal to leave the EU before Thursday 23 May, voters in the West Midlands will be electing 7 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).

Anyone who has received a poll card or postal vote for the local government elections held on Thursday 2 May is already registered to vote for the European elections. There is still time for other people living in the district to register to vote in the European election, if they have not already done so. The deadline is midnight on Tuesday 7 May. It is quick and easy to do online by visiting www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. Anyone without access to the internet can get a paper copy of the registration form from the Customer Services Centre at the Town Hall in Kidderminster.

Voters can also vote by post or proxy. Anyone can apply for a postal vote which allows voters much greater flexibility about when they complete their ballot paper.  Anyone not already registered for a postal or proxy vote will need to complete an application form, which is available from www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/voting.  The deadline for new postal voting requests is 5pm on Wednesday 8 May.  For new proxy votes the deadline is 5pm on Wednesday 15 May.

Residents who would like to change their postal vote to a proxy vote or to vote in person must also let the council know by midnight on Tuesday 7 May.

Polling stations for the European elections will be open between 7am and 10pm on Thursday 23 May. All registered electors will be sent a polling card which will tell them where they can cast their vote.

Ian Miller, Electoral Registration Officer for Wyre Forest said: “If you have not had a poll card or postal vote for the local government elections on 2 May – for example, because you have recently moved into Wyre Forest or you turn 18 between 3 May and 23 May - you may not be on the electoral register so please take 5 minutes and register to vote. These elections are an opportunity to make your voice heard and have a say on who represents you at European level. If you are not registered by Tuesday 7 May, you won’t be able to vote.

“It is also really important that anyone who has a postal vote specifically and only for the local elections on Thursday 2 May and wishes to vote by post in the European elections applies again. People wishing to vote by post, for the European elections on 23 May or for the European and all future elections, have until 5pm on Wednesday 8 May to apply.”