Whittlesey By-Elections to be held on same day as General Election

A town and district councillor has stepped down from Fenland District Council and Whittlesey Town Council, triggering two by-elections on the same day as the UK Parliamentary General Election on Thursday 4 July.

Due to the resignation of Cllr Kay Mayor, there are vacancies on the Whittlesey South Ward of Fenland District Council and the St Andrews Ward of Whittlesey Town Council.

Statement of Persons Nominated

In the UK Parliamentary General Election, Fenland District Council will be administering the election of the Member of Parliament for the North East Cambridgeshire constituency.

The Statements of Persons Nominated for the North East Cambridgeshire Constituency and Whittlesey by-elections, confirming the candidates for election on 4 July, have now been published.

Information for voters

Anyone wishing to vote in Fenland in next month's elections is encouraged to be aware of the key dates and information ahead of polling day.

Registration

The first step in the process is being registered to vote. The deadline to do so is 11.59pm on Tuesday 18 June. This includes anyone who has moved home and needs to register at their new address or has recently changed their name. Registration takes just five minutes and can be completed online: Register to Vote (you'll need your National Insurance number).

If you are unsure if you are registered to vote you can contact Fenland District Council's Elections Team to check. Email elections@fenland.gov.uk or call 01354 654321.

Poll cards

Poll cards for everyone currently registered to vote in Fenland will be posted out w/c Monday 3 June. Some residents in Whittlesey will receive two poll cards - one for the General Election and one for the by-elections. The by-election poll card is due to arrive by the second week of June.

Voters are being asked to check the details on their poll cards when they arrive to ensure they are correct, and to note the location of their polling station which may have changed. You do not need to take your poll card to the polling station to vote.

Postal voting

If you wish to vote by post and don't already have a postal voting arrangement in place, the deadline to apply is 5pm on Wednesday 19 June. For more information, visit voting By post. This is also the deadline for applying to change your existing postal voting arrangements, which you can do by emailing elections@fenland.gov.uk

Postal voters are advised to read the information sent through to them carefully when it arrives, especially in relation to new rules regarding handing in completed postal votes or votes on behalf of other people. Postal voters are requested wherever possible to send back their completed postal vote pack via Royal Mail as soon as possible to help manage demand. More information is available on our postal voting webpage.

Proxy voting

If you'd like someone to vote on your behalf (by proxy), you can apply for a proxy vote. The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 5pm on Wednesday 26 June. For more information, visit: By proxy (on your behalf)

Voter ID

This be the first General Election held where Voter ID will be required to be shown by all those wishing to vote in person at a polling station on polling day. Guidance on what forms of photo identification will be accepted can be found at: Voter ID.

If you do not have one of the required forms of ID, you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate by 5pm on Wednesday 26 June.

Accessibility

Everyone should be able to register and cast their vote without facing barriers. A new law, the Elections Act 2022, sets out extra support which we must provide, if you have a disability or accessibility need. This includes bringing another person to the polling station for support. More information on accessibility at polling stations.

If you would like extra help with voting or registering to vote, you can contact our Elections Team on 01354 654321 (open Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm, and Saturdays, 9am to 12noon) or email: elections@fenland.gov.uk

Timeline of key dates for Fenland ahead of 4 July elections:

Event	Date
Poll cards for General Election posted to all registered electors in Fenland Poll cards for Whittlesey by-elections posted to residents living in South Ward and St Andrews Ward	w/c Monday 3 June w/c Monday 10 June
List of candidates standing in General Election and by-elections published	Friday 7 June
Deadline to register to vote	11.59pm on Tuesday 18 June
Deadline to apply for or amend a postal vote application	5pm on Wednesday 19 June
Deadline to apply for a proxy vote	5pm on Wednesday 26 June
Deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate	5pm on Wednesday 26 June
Election day	Thursday 4 July (7am to 10pm)
Votes counted and results declared	Thursday 4 July (from 10pm overnight into Friday 5 July)