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This is an elections update that you have received because you subscribe to Havant Borough Council’s monthly newsletter. We hope you find this information useful. Please follow our social media channels for daily updates.
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Polling cards for the election in the Havant borough area are arriving on doormats across the borough.
Residents are being advised to check their poll card to make sure that they know which polling station they need to use at the elections on 5 May. You can also check where your polling station is online at wheredoivote.co.uk.
If you don’t receive a poll card, make sure you are registered to vote. This is important if you have recently moved house. This needs to be done by Thursday 14 April to make sure that you can have your say at the ballot box.
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You will only be able to vote if you are registered. Please be aware that even if you pay Council Tax, it doesn’t mean you are automatically registered to vote.
The easiest way to register is by visiting www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. There’s no need to re-register if you are already on the electoral roll.
It only takes five minutes online to register to vote. And don’t worry if you aren’t able to vote in person on Thursday 5th May 2022 because of being away, at work, or unable to get to a polling station – you can always register for a postal vote.
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Have your say - anyway
There are several ways to have your say in the elections in May - you can vote in a polling station, by post, or by appointing someone you trust to vote on your behalf, which is known as a proxy vote, and it is never too early to apply for a postal or proxy vote.
Residents can still vote if they are away on the May 5 polling day. If you’re thinking about voting by post, you can apply now, the deadline for postal applications is 5pm on 19 April. The deadline for proxy votes is 5pm on 26 April.
If you want to apply for a postal or proxy vote, please contact elections.office@havant.gov.uk or call 023 9244 6225/6.
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You will be eligible to register and vote on 5 May 2022 if you are:
- a British, Irish, European Union or qualifying Commonwealth citizen,
- resident in Havant borough, and
- aged 18 or older on polling day.
- EU citizens can still register and vote, even though the UK has left the European Union.
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This year is a local election, therefore you will be voting for someone to become a councillor, who will represent you in the area in which you live.
Havant borough is split into 14 wards, each of which has three councillors, (apart from Barncroft, Battins, Bondfields and Warren Park which have two). In this election, voters will be electing one new councillor per ward.
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Once the Polls have closed at 10pm on Thursday 5 May all votes remain secured within the ballot boxes. The ballot boxes will then be stored securely overnight before being taken to the counting hall on Friday 6 May.
The boxes are then emptied and the voting papers are sorted and counted within each ward.
Once these have been verified an announcement is made and the person with the most votes is declared as councillor.
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Councillors are elected to represent the local community, so you must either live or work in the council area. Being a councillor is a rewarding form of public service as you will be able to make a real difference to the quality of people’s daily lives. You will have to balance the needs of residents, the council and (if you represent one) your political party.
A councillor’s responsibilities include:
- setting the overall direction of the council,
- serving the community – helping with problems and ideas,
- representing the community, and
- talking to the community about their needs and about what the council is doing.
Councillors do this by:
- Talking to ward residents by phone, email and letter, social media, home visits, drop-in sessions, street or community meetings, local events.
- Attending formal council meetings.
- Managing casework – where people come to you for help with problems.
- Working on specific council projects with other councillors and council officers.
- Representing the council on outside organisations such as charities and public bodies.
- Participating in community meetings and events, such as meetings about community safety and policing.
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Important dates for these elections
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Register to vote by 11.59pm on Thursday 14 April.
- Apply for a postal vote (including a postal proxy) by 5pm on Tuesday 19 April.
- Cancel or change an existing postal or proxy vote by 5pm on Tuesday 19 April.
- Apply for a proxy vote by 5pm on Tuesday 26 April.
- Cast your vote between 7am and 10pm on Thursday 5 May.
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