Preparation underway for European Parliament Elections

Preparation underway for European Parliament Elections

The countdown has begun to the European Parliament Elections which are due to take place on Thursday 23 May.

More than five million people across North West England will have the opportunity to vote in these elections to select the region’s eight Members of the European Parliament (MEPs.)

The North West European Elections count and declaration will take place in Manchester on Sunday 26 May, after polls close across Europe.

Residents will not be able to vote unless they are on the Electoral Register. If you are not registered already, visit www.rochdale.gov.uk/registertovote and register by the Tuesday 7 May deadline.

European Union citizens living in the North West are eligible to vote in either the United Kingdom or in their country of origin but not both.

To vote in the United Kingdom, they must be registered to vote and have completed an additional form available at www.northwestvotes.gov.uk

The deadline for the return of this form is also Tuesday 7 May.

Anyone who is on the electoral register can choose to register to vote by post. Applications for a postal vote in this election must be received by 5pm on Wednesday 8 May. The deadline for proxy votes is 5pm on Wednesday 15 May. To find out more visit www.yourvotematters.co.uk

The European Parliament Elections are run using a form of proportional representation. Voters have one vote only, and this can be cast for either a political party or an individual candidate. Each political party puts forward a list of candidates for the North West and the number of MEPs that are elected will depend on the overall share of the vote that a party or individual candidate receives in the region.

MEPs represent the whole of the North West region and so everybody who is eligible to vote in the region will be voting for the same list of parties and candidates.