Parish Council Elections May 2023
Parish Council Elections will take place on 4 May 2023. You will receive a poll card letter in March. A poll will only take place in the parishes or parish wards where the number of nominations received by the deadline, is greater than the number of seats. You do not need to attend the polling station if the election for your parish is uncontested.
Information for Candidates
If you wish to be a Councillor for a Parish Council then you must be
- at least 18 years of age
- be a British, qualifying Commonwealth citizen, or national of an EU member state
and also at least of one of the below:
- you are and will continue to be a registered local government elector for the parish in which you wish to stand
- you have occupied as owner or tenant any land or premises in the parish area during the whole of 12 months before your nomination and the day of election
- you have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the parish area during the whole of 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election
- you have lived in the parish area or within 4.8km of it during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election.
Read more information about standing as a Parish Councillor on the Electoral Commission website.
Candidates can collect nomination packs from the Town Hall, Penrith for parishes that are in the Eden Area, or can collect from the relevant Parish Clerk from Monday 20th March 2023.
Contact details for the Parish Clerks can be found on the Notice of Election.
Candidates should read the Electoral Commission guidance before completing and returning their nomination paper.
Candidates can also request the register of electors for the parish or parish ward they wish to stand for. You will need this to complete your nomination paper. The people you ask to sign your nomination paper (Proposer and Seconder) must be registered electors for the parish or parish ward you are nominated for.
Contact the elections office on the number below request a register, or to make an appointment to hand in your nomination paper.
Completed nominations must be returned by hand to the Town Hall, Penrith by no later than 4pm on Tuesday 4 April 2023.
Anyone who needs particular support with completing their paper should contact the elections team on the number below.
Changes to poll cards
Poll cards are changing to make sure that all the information you need about voter ID is included. Your poll card will now be an enveloped letter not a card. Poll cards will be sent to all electors. There will only be a poll if the election is contested. You do not need to attend the polling station if your parish election is uncontested. Information about uncontested and contested elections will be published after the close of nominations.
Changes to how polling stations work
Changes to legislation mean that voters attending the polling station must bring with them a form of photographic identification.
The deadline to apply for a Voter Authentication Certificate is 5pm on Tuesday 25 April 2023.
Anyone who votes at a polling station must have their ID checked by the staff.
Our polling station staff
The staff at the polling station will ask voters to show them a form of acceptable voter identification. If you do not have an acceptable form of ID with you, they will not be able to issue you with a ballot paper.
Additional staff at the bigger polling stations will be available to help and ensure that everyone has their ID before they go to in to vote.
Voting by post or proxy
Anyone who votes by post does not have to provide a form of identification for the May elections. The deadline for receiving new applications, or to make amendments to existing postal or proxy votes is 5pm on Tuesday 18 April 2023.
Find out how to apply for a postal vote.
If you feel you are unable to complete a postal vote and would prefer someone voted on your behalf you can apply for a proxy vote up to 5pm on Tuesday 25 April 2023. The person you appoint must registered, be able to attend your polling station and will need to bring their form of photographic identification.
Find out about applying for a proxy vote.
If you are not registered to vote you will need to register online before you can apply for either a postal or proxy vote.
Read register to vote to find out the information you will need before you apply.