Elections: Make sure you’re ready to have your say on 6 May

On that day in Islington, in addition to the Mayor of London and London Assembly elections, there are by-elections taking place in five wards: Bunhill, Highbury West, Holloway, Mildmay and St Peter’s. All residents who are registered to vote in these wards will have received poll cards with instructions on how to vote in their ward’s by-election. If you have only registered to vote within the last couple of weeks, you will be sent your poll card soon.

Polling stations will be safe places to vote on 6 May. People voting in person are encouraged to keep themselves and others safe by:

• wearing a face covering
• bringing their own pen or pencil
• cleaning their hands when entering and leaving the polling station
• keeping a safe distance

Voters should not attend the polling station if they have symptoms of Covid-19, nor if they have been asked to self-isolate. Anyone who develops Covid symptoms, or is asked to self-isolate shortly before polling day, has until 5pm on polling day to apply for an emergency proxy vote. This allows them to nominate someone they trust to vote on their behalf.

Kerry Wickens, Electoral Services Manager at Islington Council, said: “Your poll card will tell you where to find your polling station.

“Make sure you check the information on your poll card, as your polling station might have changed since the last elections.

“You do not need your poll card to vote, but we encourage you to bring it with you to make the process quicker and more efficient.

“Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 6 May. Voters who have opted to vote by post must return their postal ballot pack by 10pm that day; they can hand it in at their polling station if they don’t have time to return it by post.”

Ailsa Irvine, Director of Electoral Administration and Guidance at the Electoral Commission, said: “If you are voting in person, make sure you remember to bring your face covering and a pen or pencil with you.

“At the polling station, help keep yourself and others safe by following the safety measures, including sanitising your hands and keeping a safe distance from others.

“If you are self-isolating or become unwell as a result of Covid-19, you don’t need to lose your vote. You will be able to apply for an emergency proxy vote so that someone you trust can vote on your behalf.”

For further information on how to apply for an emergency proxy, Islington voters should contact Islington Council’s electoral registration team by calling 020 7527 3110, emailing electoral.services@islington.gov.uk or visiting them at Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, N1 2UD.

Notes to editors

For further information on the elections, visit www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voter, which will continue to be updated ahead of the polls.