Deadline approaches for Plymouth elections

Labour currently has one more seat than Tories

Plymouth City Council is warning resident they have less than three weeks to register to vote in the local elections on Thursday 5 May, if they haven’t already done so. 

Nineteen of the 57 seats are being contested in the city; one third of the council. 

With only one seat separating the Conservative and Labour groups – and a growing number of independents – all candidates will be looking to gather whatever support they can. 

People will not need to re-register if their details have been included in notification letter recently have been sent by the council. 

Residents are also being reminded that they do not need to turn up at polling stations if they are unable to do so. 

Postal or proxy voting (where someone else votes in person on the voter’s behalf) and even ‘postal proxy voting’ (where someone casts a vote for the registered voter by post, are permissable.

But anyone wanting to cast a postal vote must apply to do so by 5 p.m. on Tuesday 19 April. 

The proxy vote deadline is a little later;  5 p.m. on Tuesday 26 April. 

Postal and proxy votes are temporary arrangements and can only be used for these elections and residents need to be registered to vote before applying for either. 

Tracey Lee, Plymouth City Council chief executive and returning officer, said: “Registering to vote gives you a say on important issues that affect you – from roads and recycling, to education and climate change.

“It is important that anyone who is not already registered, or doesn’t want to vote in person, apply as soon as possible so they don’t miss out on their democratic right.”

People who wish to stand as a candidate also still have time.  

Subject to certain conditions, anyone over 18 who is a British or  Commonwealth citizen and is registered to vote in Plymouth or has lived, worked or owned a property in the city for at least 12 months before an election can stand. 

But there are reasons why some residents may not be allow to seek election. 

Someone cannot become a councillor if they already work for a council in a politically restricted post, are subject to a bankruptcy, restrictions or interim order, have been sentenced to prison for three months or more (including suspended sentences) during the five years before election day or have been convicted of corrupt or illegal practice by an election court.

Plymouth City Council currently consist of 22 Conservatives, 23 Labour and 12 independents but the Tories hold control as they had the most seats after the May 2021 election.