Elections for Leeds City Councillors and the West Yorkshire Mayor will take place on Thursday 2 May 2024.
A third of Councillors will be up for election, one in each ward in the city, whilst West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin is standing for re-election.
Cllrs Mohammed Iqbal and Sharon Burke will be contesting their seats in Hunslet & Riverside and Middleton Park wards respectively, whilst a new Councillor will be elected in Beeston & Holbeck ward following the resignation of Gohar Almass.
As usual South Leeds Life will be covering the elections and bringing you details of all the candidates. We will post these online once nominations close on Friday 5 April. We will also be holding online hustings for the three wards in South Leeds in the week before the election. These will give you the opportunity to put your questions directly to the candidates.
Full details with links to join the meeting and how to put your questions will be published once arrangements have bben made.
If you’ve moved house in the last two years or haven’t voted in the past you may not be on the electoral register, you can check online at: www.leeds.gov.uk/your-council/elections/register-to-vote.
If you need to register it’s very quick, go to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote, you will need your National Insurance number. The deadline for registering ahead of this election is midnight on Tuesday 16 April.
If you wish to vote in person at a polling station, you will need to produce photo ID such as a passport or driving licence. If you do not have an acceptable form of ID you can apply for one for free online via electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID or by completing a paper form. In-person applications can also be taken at community hubs and libraries across Leeds. The deadline for applying for voting ID is 5pm on Wednesday 24 April.
Photo ID is not required for postal voting at this election. If you wish to register for a postal vote the deadline to apply is 5pm on Wednesday 17 April. Find out more at: www.leeds.gov.uk/your-council/elections/postal-voting
If you wish someone to vote on your behalf, you can apply for vote by proxy. The person voting for you will need photo ID. You must apply by 5pm on Wednesday 24 April. Find out more at www.leeds.gov.uk/your-council/elections/proxy-voting
All voters are advised to read the information sent through to them carefully when it arrives, as there are numerous changes being introduced at these elections which are explained in full, especially for anyone looking to hand in completed votes on behalf of other people.
Elections Returning Officer and chief executive of Leeds City Council Tom Riordan said:
“As we get ready to head into another pre-election period, it is important everyone who wishes to vote is registered to do and has chosen their method of voting. There are some important changes this year voters will need to read the guidance when it arrives to be fully aware of, and also we wish to remind everyone wanting to vote in person on election day they will need to have an accepted form of ID with them to show at the polling station or they will be turned away.
“We encourage everyone who can vote to exercise their democratic right to do so and have their say.”
For more information on the changes in place for this year’s elections visit the Electoral Commission’s website at www.electoralcommission.or.uk.
We expect that votes will be counted and results declared for the council election on Friday 5 May; and for the West Yorkshire Mayor on Saturday 6 May. We will bring you the results online as soon as they are announced.
South Leeds Life does not support any political party, but we do encourage all our readers to use their vote.
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