Your election questions answered

Elections to the European Parliament take place on Thursday (23 May). We hope you find the following information useful.

What are the European Parliament elections for?

In London, eight MEPs are elected to the European parliament. The list of candidates for London can be seen here. 

When and where can I vote?

Polling stations will open at 7am on Thursday, and will close at 10pm.

You should vote at your allocated polling station, which is shown on your poll card. If you don’t have your poll card, don’t worry – you do not need your poll card to be able to vote.

Polling stations in Islington for this election are the same as for last year’s local elections, unless you voted last year at Tompion Hall Community Centre, in which case you should now vote at Islington Museum, St Johns Street, EC1V 4NB.

To check where you should go to vote, put your postcode into our polling station finder. You will find your polling station under the tab called ‘Polling station, voting and MP’.

Do I need ID to vote?

No, ID is not required. You will be asked to confirm your name and address. 

Is it too late to return a postal vote?

If you received a postal vote, it is not too late to return it by post – please ensure this vote is returned to us by Thursday 23 May. However, if you want to drop it off in person you can bring it to Islington Town Hall, N1 2UD, between 8am and 8pm today or tomorrow, or from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 23 May.

You can also drop it into your polling station on polling day. You can find your polling station by putting your postcode into our polling station finder. You will find your polling station under the tab called ‘Polling station, voting and MP’.

I’m a citizen from another EU country what do I need to know?

Citizens of European Union countries other than the United Kingdom can vote in this election if you returned an additional voter registration form (also known as a UC1 form) before midnight on 7 May. Citizens of Malta, Cyprus and Ireland were not required to complete this form.

Who can I vote for in the European Parliament elections?

The list of parties/candidates standing in London can be found on our website as a pdf document or you can see the list on the BBC website.

You have one vote. Instructions on how to vote will have arrived with your postal vote, or can be seen in your polling station.

We are sometimes asked if we can provide more information about the candidates and what they stand for. Councils are not allowed to do this. It is up to the candidates or their party to explain and publicise their manifesto policies.

How do I know if I’m registered to vote?

Poll cards were sent to all current registered individuals at the end of April. We know some were delayed in the post, and we’re very sorry about that. If you didn’t receive your poll card and need to check whether you are entitled to vote please contact our electoral services department at electoral.services@islington.gov.uk.

You can register any time. But to vote this Thursday you need to have been on the register before 8 May. Register to vote in future elections here.

Where can I find the results?

Votes will be counted on Sunday 26 May. Islington’s votes will contribute to the overall results for London. Declarations will be made after 10pm on Sunday so keep an eye on media channels for the results.

We hope this bulletin has helped explain what you need to know, but if you have an unanswered question please have a look at our website or email electoral.services@islington.gov.uk