Local Elections are…. Complicated… and kind of don’t make sense. In short, these elections appoint the local councillors that will be making the decisions of how somewhere works. Take High Wycombe for example, Frogmore feels unsafe? Councillors are the ones who push for better streetlights and patrols.
We have recently wrapped up our Union Elections, but we aren’t quite done with elections yet. There are local elections happening in Wycombe and Aylesbury, so make sure you are registered to vote.
Why vote in Local Elections
Local Elections are…. Complicated… and kind of don’t make sense. In short, these elections appoint the local councillors that will be making the decisions of how somewhere works. Take High Wycombe for example, Frogmore feels unsafe? Councillors are the ones who push for better streetlights and patrols. Think the town looks a bit drab? These are the people who can bring in more green spaces, improve public transport, or fund local youth services.
You have a voice. And in local elections, that voice is actually louder than in general ones — because fewer people vote, your vote carries more weight.
Registering to Vote
We’ve talked about it before, but now that we are in it, you need to register to vote in the UK. There’s a hard deadline of Friday 11 April. As a student, you can register in two locations, your term-time address, and your home address. If you are unsure where you are going to be come election day, register at both – just only vote at one! Registering takes only a few minutes and can be done at any time (before 11 April).
Can I Vote?
Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to be a British citizen to be able to vote in the UK. Several other citizenships and statuses can vote, mostly from commonwealth countries. To find out if you are eligible to vote, head to canivote.org.uk and have your answer in less than 10 seconds.
You also will need a valid form of ID on voting day. For example, a driver's licence or passport from a valid nation. If you don't have any of these, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate, which will act as ID for this election. You can apply here for one, but this must be done by Wednesday the 23rd of April.
Who Do I Vote For?
At this point, most areas will have their candidates decided, but you can find who is standing in your local area by putting your postcode at whocanivotefor.co.uk.
Local elections are as the name implies, significantly more local than the general election. For example, if you are staying in Hughenden Halls, you will have a different group of candidates to anyone staying in Brooks Street or Windsor.