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| What is a Local Election? |
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Local Elections are held every four years to elect Haringey’s local councillors. Local councillors are the elected members of Haringey Council. They are the people who make the decisions about what the council does. Most local councillors are members of political parties. The political party with the most elected councillors has control of the council.
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| How do I vote in a local election? |
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| Firstly make sure your name is on the electoral register. Shortly before the local elections you will receive a ‘polling card’ through the post. This will give you information about where to go to vote, and the times you can vote at. Voting takes place in ‘polling stations’ across the borough, and many public building are used as polling stations on election days. You must go to the polling station named on your polling card, which will be close to your home – you can’t just turn up to vote at any polling station! It is helpful if you take your polling card with you when you go to vote, but you don’t have to. |
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| What is a Polling Station and what happens when I get there? |
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Is the place when you can make your vote. It will be in a place close to where you live, like a school, church or community hall and the address will be on the polling card you will receive. When you arrive at your polling station you will be given a ballot paper with a list of the candidates names in your ward on it. You then chose the three candidates whom you want to be your local councillors and mark a cross on the ballot paper by each of their names. Do not put a cross by the names of more than 3 candidates or your vote will not be counted!
You then post your ballot paper into the ballot box, and that’s it! - you have voted! |
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| How many people am I voting for in a local election? |
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| You can vote for up to 3 people, as there are three ward councillors in your ward. You write a cross on the ballot paper next to the names of the candidates you wish to vote for. In a local election you must not vote for more than 3 candidates or your vote will not be counted. |
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| How many people am I voting for in a local election? |
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| You can vote for up to 3 people, as there are three ward councillors in your ward. You write a cross on the ballot paper next to the names of the candidates you wish to vote for. In a local election you must not vote for more than 3 candidates or your vote will not be counted. |
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| What if I can’t get to a polling station on election day? Are there other ways to vote? |
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There are other ways you can vote – you can also vote by post, or by ‘proxy’, or by ‘proxy postal voting’.
Postal Votes – download the postal vote application form here and return it to Haringey’s Electoral Registration Team no later than 11 working days before the election. You will then be sent a ballot paper which you must return before the day of the election.Proxy Votes – Voting by proxy means that you can appoint someone else to vote for you on May 6th. You can get the ‘vote by proxy’ application form from Haringey’s Electoral Services Team
(telephone 0845 055 0922). The application form must be returned to the electoral services team no later than 6 working days before the election. The person you appoint will then be able to cast your vote for you on May 6th.
Postal Proxy Voting – if the person you appoint to vote for you (your ‘proxy’) is going to be away from home on the day of the election, they can arrange for your proxy ballot paper to be posted to them by contacting the borough’s electoral services team.
For more information about this contact Haringey’s Electoral Services Team on 0845 055 0922 |
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| So, I’ve voted in the local elections – what happens next? |
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So, I’ve voted in the local elections – what happens next?
After the polling stations close on May 6th the process of counting the votes begins. The count takes place at Alexandra Palace and after the count has finished the results are announced.
The three candidates with the most votes in each ward become the new ‘local councillors’ for that ward. The results will also be published here on the Inharingey website so you can see who your new local councillors are, and get information about how to contact them. Your local councillors are there for YOU! If you have a concern, an idea or an issue about something in the area in which you live, they are the people to talk to about it! |
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| Why let these three have your say? That's what happens when you don't vote. |
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| Voter turnout in Haringey is traditionally very low – just 35% in the last local elections. |
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