Wyre Forest District Council has announced that the number of registered electors for the general election on Thursday 8 June is 77,734, compared to the 77,451 people who were registered to vote in the last general election in 2015.

Applications to register to vote closed at midnight on Monday 22 May. The authority was receiving online applications right up until the last minute.  In the last three hours there were 350 applications but more than 70 per cent of these were people who were already registered.

The trend for postal voting is continuing to grow.  13,649 of the electorate have chosen this method.  That is an increase of 13.4% on those who registered to vote by post in the elections in May (12,036).  Almost two thirds of postal votes (8,606 or 63.06%) have already been returned.

Demand for proxy votes has also increased sharply with 345 voters applying to nominate another person to vote on their behalf, up more than four fold from 84 in the last General Election in May 2015 and up from 63 proxy votes in last month’s local elections.

Ian Miller, Electoral Registration and Returning Officer said: “We are asking anyone who has opted to vote by post to return their ballot papers in good time to arrive on or before Thursday 8 June. But, if someone does forget to return their postal vote, it may be taken to a polling station in the district on election day.”

Anyone who will be casting their vote at a polling station is being reminded to check their poll card to find out where they should go to vote.

The verification and count will start following the close of the polling stations.   The result will be uploaded to the Council’s website – www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk and posted on Facebook and Twitter as it is declared.

More information about the elections is available on the Council’s website. www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/elections