May Elections

Elections are taking place across England on 4 May.
No ID? You’ll need it if you want to vote at a polling station.
Apply for free voter ID now

https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/voter-id?utm_source=partner_social&utm_medium=social_media&utm_campaign=voter_id&utm_content=voter_id_home

Thanks Lolly, that’s useful to know.

You can tell it's coming up to election time by the number of local councillors appearing on Social Media doing good deeds

And policemen/women on foot

Alternatively, you can apply for a postal vote where ID isn’t required.



www.electoralcommission.org.uk

We have used Postal Votes for years so that we did not miss out chance to vote due to clashing with holidays. It is simple to apply and you usually get your voting forms a couple of weeks before the election date.

Postal vote for me every time. I suppose even that is open to fraud.

All the candidates standing at the 2023 local elections in Wigan

The people standing in the wards including Abram, Ashton, Aspull New Springs & Whelley, Astley, Atherton North, Atherton South and Lilford, Bryn, Douglas, Golborne and Lowton West, Hindley, Hindley Green, Ince, Leigh Central and Higher Fold, Leigh South, Leigh West, Lowton East, Orrell, Pemberton, Shevington with Lower Ground, Standish with Langtree, Tyldesley and Mosley Common, Wigan Central, Wigan West, Winstanley, and Worsley Mesnes


https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/candidates-standing-2023-local-elections-26636828

I see Maureen O'Bern is standing in Ince ward as an Ind, she said she would. Gareth and Debby Fairhurst standing in Shevington and Standish
respectively

www.wigan.gov.uk/Council/Voting-and-Elections

I’m a bit confused & haven’t done any research yet to answer my question.

All three current ward councillors seem to be up for re-election- anyone know why?

Ward Boundaries changing perhaps?

Molyneux, does nowt all day except checking his armpits smell ok

Does that mean we have three votes this election?

Either that or there 3 wards within a ward and somebody has no opposition, there being only 5 contestants

According to the council link you posted Jo anne

"All out elections are where all 75 seats on the council are all to be elected on the same day.

Three candidates will be elected in each ward, voters will therefore be able to cast no more than three votes for their chosen candidates"

Whoops, it’s all explained on the Council link I posted earlier.

Thanks, Lolly, I missed your post.

Things could get very interesting!

I'm still confused. Can people use their votes for one candidate

No, I imagine not Lolly.

Each candidate will have a box next to their name allowing for just one possible vote.

So in the case of Ince ward there is only one IND standing, and you wanted to vote  IND you wouldn't use your other 2 votes for other parties?

No, in local elections you’re predominantly voting for the individual councillor, not their political party, strictly speaking.

hmm. So if I want to vote for Miss Smith IND and I dont want to vote for Mr Jones LaB
or Miss White CON Then I just use the one vote?

That’s why I’m in favour of all councillors being independent, to avoid confusion:

Isn’t it time all local councillors were independents?Poll (May ‘21)

What if you didn't agree with any of them that's on the ballot paper though?

Personally I think that it's high time that British voters were given the opportunity to vote 'None of the above' as they do in certain states in the US, rather than just putting it down to voter apathy whenever there is a low turnout on polling day.

The advantage of such a system is that in an ideal world should 'None of the above' get the most votes it would give the political parties a feel of the quality of the candidates they are fielding and presenting to the voters and just how electable those candidates are thus allowing them to ditch dead wood.

It would also be interesting to see if voter turnout would improve especially at local level if given such a choice as currently the only other option is to deliberately spoil the ballot paper.

Anyway that's my two pence worth on the matter for what it's worth....

jo anne wrote:Alternatively, you can apply for a postal vote where ID isn’t required.



www.electoralcommission.org.uk

Deadline tonight at 11 59 pm

Mr H's Hot Pot wrote:Personally I think that it's high time that British voters were given the opportunity to vote 'None of the above'

I strongly agree, Mr H, I once spoiled my ballot paper instead but then felt daft for doing it.