By KLTV Newsdesk –
This Thursday, residents in Kirklees will have the chance to vote on who they want to elect as their local councillors, and for the first time, choose their first West Yorkshire Mayor.
KLTV’s Oliver Gibson recently gave a detailed overview of the major candidates for the role of Mayor, and you can read about what each candidate is pledging if you want to know more.
With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s elections are going to be done a bit differently. There are a few things that residents will need to remember and be aware of so that everyone gets the chance to make their vote count.
As with previous elections, there are two main ways to vote, by post, and in person at a polling station. However, the way each of these methods is being handled is slightly different, in accordance with covid safety.
Postal vote
This year, many local residents have chosen to vote by post. If you applied for a postal vote but haven’t received your postal vote ballot pack, Kirklees Council is recommending that residents contact their electoral services team as soon as possible.
This can be done via email at electoral.registration@kirklees.gov.uk or by phone on 01484 221650
Some residents in Kirklees have been frustrated to find that their voting ballot hasn’t yet arrived, and have raised concerns that many people will be unable to send their vote in on time.
Voting in person
If you’re planning to vote in person on Thursday, there will be a few changes to your usual election day.
The first thing to do is to check where your designated polling station is, as it may not be the one closest to you. The address will be on your polling card or you can look it up in advance via the ‘Where Do I Vote’ website.
The council says they are taking extra steps to make voting in person as safe as possible.
Hand sanitiser is being provided at every polling station and the usual social distancing measures will also be in place.
This Thursday, every vote counts, so be sure to send in your postal vote as soon as you can or head down to your polling station on the day to give your vote in person.