Less Than One Week Left to Register to Vote

RESIDENTS now have less than one week left to register to vote in May’s Reading Borough Council local elections and the Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

The deadline for residents to ensure they can have a say in either election is midnight on Monday April 19^th. The quickest and easiest way to register is online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. It takes just five minutes.

Christopher Brooks, Electoral Registration Officer for Reading Borough Council, said:

“Time is now running out to make sure you can take part in these elections. These elections 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 Reading.  If you’re not registered by Monday April 19^th, you won’t be able to vote.”

Reading Borough Council’s election team has been working hard for a number of months to plan for a safe election, in the context of Covid 19. Once registered, residents have a number of options open to them to cast their votes. They can either vote in person at a polling station, by post, or by appointing someone they trust to vote on their behalf, which is known as a proxy vote.

Postal and postal proxy applications must be received by the Electoral Registration Office by 5pm on Tuesday April 20^th, including for changes to existing postal, proxy and postal proxy votes. Contact elections@reading.gov.uk or phone 0118 937 3717 to apply.

For residents who prefer to vote in person, polling stations will be open as usual. When visiting their local polling station, residents are being asked to:

• Wear a face covering, unless they have a valid exemption
• Bring their own pen or pencil
• Carefully follow signs and guidance from polling station staff to adhere to social distancing

Mr Brooks added:

“The election may be less than one month away, but the election team has been working hard for a number of months now to plan for a safe election here in Reading. For people wanting to cast their votes in person, they can expect to see many of the measures they’ve become accustomed to in shops over recent months, like hand sanitiser, floor markings and face coverings.

 “The option to apply to vote by post or by proxy remains open to people. The Absent Vote deadline is Tuesday 20^th April 2020 at 5.00pm. People who want to apply to vote by post or by proxy can request an application to be sent directly to them now, by contacting the Electoral Services Team in Reading.”

Residents can check whether they are registered to vote by contacting the Electoral Services Team. People can email elections@reading.gov.uk or phone 0118 937 3717. They can visit the FAQ page on the Council's website at https://www.reading.gov.uk/council/democracy/elections-and-voting/2021-local-borough-elections-and-police-and-crime-commissioner-elections/ to find out more about the elections on 6 May 2021.