 Everything you need to know for the local elections in May
Gosport residents will head to the polls on Thursday 7 May 2026, when elections for both Hampshire County Council and Gosport Borough Council take place.
Two elections on the same day
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Hampshire County Council elections - held every four years and last contested in 2021. Gosport includes four County Divisions - Bridgemary, Hardway, Lee, and Leesland & Town, represented by a total of five councillors. Depending on where residents live, they will have one or two votes.
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Gosport Borough Council elections - part of the borough’s regular two‑year cycle. The council has 14 ward areas and each ward has two councillors representing it. One councillor seat from each ward is up for election.
How to take part
To vote in these elections, residents must be registered to vote by midnight on Monday 20 April. If you are already registered you don’t need to re-register. If you aren’t sure if you’re registered, contact electoral services to check. Eligible voters must also be:
- Aged 18 or over on polling day
- A British, Irish, qualifying Commonwealth, or eligible EU citizen
Don't forget your ID
Residents voting in person will need to bring an accepted form of photo ID to their polling station:
- Photo ID must be the original document, not a photocopy
- Expired ID will be accepted, provided it still looks like the voter
- Voters without suitable ID are able to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate
Poll cards
Poll cards will be delivered to registered voters from Wednesday 25 March.
Voters will not need to bring their poll card to vote, but it can help polling station staff locate their details more quickly if they do.
Voters can find their polling station at: https://www.gosport.gov.uk/article/3076/Polling-station-information.
Key dates for voters
- Register to vote: by midnight on Monday 20 April via gov.uk/register-to-vote
- Postal and postal proxy applications: by 5pm on Tuesday 21 April via gov.uk/apply-postal-vote
- Standard proxy applications: by 5pm on Tuesday 28 April via gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote
- Voter Authority Certificate applications: by 5pm on Tuesday 28 April via UK
- Polling day: Thursday 7 May, 7am-10pm
More information
For help with registering to vote, postal or proxy voting, or any other queries including requesting paper application forms, please contact Electoral Services: electoral.registration@gosport.gov.uk or 023 9254 5227.
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