Borough, Town/Parish Council and Police & Crime Commissioner elections take place on Thursday 2 May in the Borough of Eastleigh.

Here's the top information you need to know:

Are you registered to vote?

If you want to vote in these elections, you must be registered to vote by 11.59pm on Tuesday 16 April. If you have moved house recently, please ensure you register at your new address.

Do you know someone who will be turning 18 on or before 2 May 2024? If so, why not encourage them to register to vote and have their say.

Register to vote

Voting by proxy

Voting by proxy means that you can appoint someone else to vote on your behalf. However, if you find that you are able to vote on election day, you can still go to the polling station and vote, but the person you have appointed as your proxy will not then be able to vote on your behalf. The deadline for applications to vote by proxy is by 5pm, six working days before election day.

Vote by proxy

Apply for a postal vote

How you apply for a postal vote has now changed. All applications require you to be verified by providing your National Insurance Number along with your date of birth and signature.

Please apply online now to ensure your application is processed early and your postal vote can be issued as quickly as possible. It’s easy to apply and you do not need to provide photo ID, but you must be registered to vote. A postal vote can be valid for up to three years and you will be notified when it is due to be renewed.

The deadline for postal vote applications is 5pm on Wednesday 17 April.

Apply for a postal vote

Postal votes are sent out in two batches

• Wednesday 17 April (for those who set up their postal vote by 26 February)
• Monday 22 April (for those who set up their postal vote between 27 February and 17 April)

Returning your postal vote

As soon as you have cast your vote, please return it straight away to ensure your vote reaches us in plenty of time. You have until 10pm on Thursday 2 May to get your vote back to us.

The easiest way to return your postal vote is by post via Royal Mail. If you hand your postal vote in at the Council offices, this must be done during normal office hours, and you will be asked to complete a form. If a form is not completed, your postal vote will be rejected. You will also be asked to complete a form if you hand your postal vote in at a polling station on the day of the election.

If you are handing in postal votes on behalf of friends and family members, you are only allowed to hand in a maximum of five postal votes, plus your own. You will be asked to complete a form to verify how many you are handing in.

The deadlines for handing in your postal vote:

• at the Council Offices - 5pm on Thursday 2 May
• at your local polling station - 10pm on Thursday 2 May

When will I get my poll card?

From Wednesday 27 March, Eastleigh Borough residents will start to receive their new-look poll cards for the elections on 2 May. Poll cards will be enveloped, individually addressed, and will contain information including a full list of accepted forms of photo ID for those who vote at a polling station.

Photo ID needed at polling stations

If you will be voting in person at a polling station, you will need to provide a suitable form of photo ID before you can cast your vote. Accepted forms of ID include:

• Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA (European Economic Area) state or a Commonwealth country
• Photographic driver’s licence issued by the UK, Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state (including provisional)
• European Economic Area (EEA) photographic ID Card
• UK Biometric Residence Permit
• An identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (PASS card)
• A Blue Badge
• Oyster 60+ Card
• A concessionary travel pass funded by HM Government or local authority

Only original documents are accepted; scanned images or copies will not be accepted however expired documents are accepted if the photo is still a current likeness.

We've created a video explaining how voting will work in the Borough's polling stations on 2 May - now that forms of photo ID are required - watch our video.

You don’t have suitable photo ID?

If you do not have any of the accepted photo ID, and you want to vote at a polling station, you will need to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate by 5pm on 24 April which can be used specifically for the purposes of voting.