Three ways to vote in Burnley Council's Covid-secure May elections

The borough council elections take place on Thursday, May 6th, alongside elections for Lancashire County Council, and the county's police and crime commissioner.

People identified as clinically extremely vulnerable, and therefore advised to take precautionary shielding measures, are being assured that voting will be safe and Covid-secure.

These are the three ways to vote:

Voting by post

Anybody wishing to vote by post is urged to apply now. This will help the council to send out postal votes quickly, once the candidates for the elections are confirmed.

People can request a postal vote application form by emailing [email protected] or calling 01282 477261/477263. The deadline for receipt of postal vote applications is 5pm on Tuesday, April 20th.

Voting in person

Polling stations will be open on May 6th, 7am – 10pm, and will have safety measures in place.

People voting in person are encouraged to keep themselves and others safe at the polling station by:

- Wearing a face covering

- Bringing your own pen or pencil (although individual pencils will also be available at the polling station)

- Cleaning your hands when entering and leaving the polling station

- Keeping a safe distance from others

Extra safety measures such as protective screen, sanitising stations and signage will also be in place.

Proxy voting

For anybody unable to vote in person, they can ask someone they trust to cast their vote for them vote for them

They can either go to a polling station to cast a vote, or apply to vote for you by post.

To apply for a proxy vote, complete the form to vote by proxy, explaining why you can't get to your polling station in person.

Send the completed form to the elections team at Burnley Town Hall, Manchester Road, Burnley. Applications to vote by proxy must reach the elections team by 5pm Tuesday, April 27th.

Further information, and the necessary forms, can be found at: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter

In order to vote – whether at a polling station, by post, or by proxy – people must first be registered to vote. This can be done online in just five minutes at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote