So, like, it’s that time again, folks! Voters in some parts of England are getting ready to hit up the polls for some local and mayoral elections going down on Thursday. We’re talking about local elections in 24 of England’s 317 councils and six mayoral authorities on May 1st. Oh, and let’s not forget about the by-election happening in Runcorn and Helsby to decide who’s gonna be the new MP for Cheshire. Exciting stuff, right?
Polling stations are gonna open bright and early at 07:00 BST and close at 22:00 on Thursday. Results will be rolling in throughout the night and into Friday. This is the first major set of polls since Labour totally crushed it in last year’s general election. Around 1,650 seats are up for grabs in 14 county councils, eight unitary authorities, one metropolitan district, and even in the Isles of Scilly. And hey, we’ve got six mayoral elections going down in the West of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Doncaster, North Tyneside, and for the very first time in Hull and East Yorkshire, and Greater Lincolnshire.
Now, let’s talk about that by-election in Runcorn and Helsby. It all started when former Labour MP Mike Amesbury stepped down after getting convicted of assaulting a constituent. Yikes. Elections to all 21 county councils in England were supposed to go down, but the government decided to postpone them in nine areas because of some reorganisation happening. The areas where there are still elections include Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire, Devon, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire.
And let’s not forget about the unitary authorities of Buckinghamshire, Cornwall, Durham, North Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Shropshire, West Northamptonshire, and Wiltshire. Plus, we’ve got Doncaster Metropolitan Council and the Isles of Scilly, which has its own unique governance structure. Most of the results should be in by Friday evening, so stay tuned!
Now, for all my peeps in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, sorry to break it to you, but there are no local elections scheduled. Bummer, I know. If you’re planning to vote in person, make sure to bring some photo ID with you. There are like over 20 different forms of ID that they’ll accept, including passports, driving licenses, and starting from May 1st, Armed Forces Veteran Cards. The BBC has laid out some detailed election guidelines on how they’re gonna cover polling day, so that’s cool.
Oh, and just a heads up, the BBC and other broadcasters can’t spill the beans on any campaigning or local election drama on TV, radio, or online until 22:00 on polling day. Gotta keep it fair, right? And there you have it, folks. Get ready to cast your vote and let your voice be heard in these local and mayoral elections happening in England. It’s all going down on Thursday, so don’t miss out on your chance to make a difference!
