Rochdale preparing for elections – make sure you’re ready to vote

On Thursday 29 February there will be a by-election in the Rochdale constituency following the sad death of the MP Sir Tony Lloyd.

Then, in May residents will go to the polls to have their say on who represents them on Rochdale Borough Council and as mayor of Greater Manchester.

There is also expected to be a general election later in the year, with the date yet to be announced by the Prime Minister.

Photographic ID will need to be shown in order to vote at a polling station in all of these elections. The requirement to show photo ID at the polling station was introduced by the UK Government’s Elections Act which was passed in 2022 and came into effect for the first time in May last year.
 

Read more: Local elections – residents need photo ID to vote in MayPublished: 10 January 2023

There are a number of ways to have your say - you can vote in a polling station, by post, or by appointing someone you trust to vote on your behalf - known as a proxy vote.

Clare Poole, elections manager at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “These are opportunities to make your voice heard and have a say about who represents you on issues that directly affect day-to-day life.”

You need to be registered to vote and the easiest way to register to vote in person, by post or by proxy is at rochdale.gov.uk/RegisterToVote

Annual notification letters have recently been sent to all households showing details of who is registered to vote at the address. Any changes can be made by following the instructions on the letter.

Claire added: “Check the details on your letter to make sure you’re registered correctly, particularly if you’ve recently moved, especially to a new-build property, or if you’re approaching your 18th birthday. Research shows movers are less likely to be registered than those who have lived at the same address for a long time.”

Key dates/deadlines for voters to be aware of in relation to the by-election on 29 February:

• Tuesday 13 February: Applications to register to vote deadline at midnight
• Wednesday 14 February: Applications, amendments or cancellations of postal votes and amendments or cancellations of proxy votes must be submitted before 5pm
• Wednesday 21 February: Applications for a Voter Authority Certificate or Anonymous Elector’s Document as well as new applications to vote by proxy must be submitted before 5pm
• Thursday 29 February: Applications to vote by emergency proxy must be submitted before 5pm

If you do need to register to vote, it’s a quick and simple process. All you’ll need is your date of birth and National Insurance number.

Visit rochdale.gov.uk/elections to find out more about voting. If you have any questions you can also contact the elections team by emailing elections@rochdale.gov.uk or phone 0300 3030345.

If you have a postal vote, you’ll be able to use it in the same way and photo ID won’t be required.