Register to Vote! How to vote in the local elections this year

Pictured: Promotional poster for this year's local elections in May.

Local elections are being held in Kent and some parts of Essex and London on the 1st of May this year. Don't know how to vote? We've got you sorted. This article will tell you all about how to vote this year.

In England, you must be 18 or over to vote in local elections. However, before you can vote, you must register to vote with the UK Government's Electoral Register online. This year, you must register before the deadline of the 11th of April, or else you will not be allowed to vote in this year's local elections. Registration is free and can be done in a few minutes online here on the UK Government's website. You will need to use your National Insurance Number if you have one.

To register, you must be a citizen of the British Commonwealth or Ireland, Denmark, Poland, Spain, Luxembourg or Portugal. You can also register if you are a citizen of the European Union and have had permission (or haven't required permission) to stay in the UK since it's departure from the EU in 2020.

Once you've registered, you will be put on the Electoral Register and allowed to vote. Before the election, you will be sent a government poll card in the mail which will tell you when and where to vote on election day. The location, known as a polling station, will have large signs marked "POLLING STATION" on the day telling you where to go. You do not have to take the poll card with you when you go to vote, however you will have to bring some form of accepted identification, usually a passport or a driving licence.

This year, the local elections are being held in all of Kent and in some areas of Essex and London on the 1st of May. In Essex, these include South Ockendon in Thurrock, Mark Hall in Harlow, Wickford Park in Basildon, Canvey Island Winter Gardens in Castle Point, Maldon West in Maldon, and finally Chelmsford Central and Moulsham and Central in Chelmsford. In London, an election will be held for Thames View in Barking and Dagenham.

If you are 18 or above, then remember to register to vote and make your voice heard by voting on election day. Don't let others vote for you!