If you’ve recently turned 18, or will be 18 by polling day, then you are eligible to vote as long as your name is on the electoral register. This means that you get a say in who you want to look after your community.

Aylesbury Vale is made up of 36 Wards (eg Bedgrove, Winslow, Watermead) and has 59 councillors who spend millions making decisions about the future of the community.

Councillors get to decide:

• whether new affordable houses can be built for you to live in
• if pubs or clubs can extend their licences
• how much rubbish we can recycle to help the environment
• if money can be spent improving sports facilities
• and much more.

Every 4 years local elections are held to decide who is going to run the council. If you don’t use your vote, you’ll be letting others decide for you.

How do I vote?

1. The first thing you need to do is make sure you’re on the electoral register. Follow the link below to find out how. (If you’re not on the electoral register you may not be able to get loans, mortgages or even mobile phones.)

2. Just before the election you will receive a polling card telling you when and where to vote. You don’t have to take this card with you when you vote but it does make it easier for the polling staff if you do.

3. On election day head to your polling station and you will be given a ballot paper. You then have to decide who you want to vote for and put a cross in the box, to the right of your chosen name(s) or party(s). Then you post your vote in the ballot box. Don’t write anything else on your ballot paper or your vote won’t count.

4. Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm

What if I can’t make it to a polling station on the day?

Don’t worry. If you know you’ll not be around on election day, for example if you’re away at university, or on holiday, you can vote by post.

All you have to do is contact the Council and complete a postal vote application form, follow the link below for more information. You will then be sent voting papers which you will need to return to us by 10pm on the day of election.

What happens next?

Voting closes at 10pm on election day and the ballot boxes are taken back to the council offices ready to be counted the next day. All the votes, including postal votes are then counted and the winners are those with the most votes. The results will be announced as soon as the count has been confirmed.

Look on the website for details of the winners and losers.

You can contact your local councillor with any issues you may be concerned about by post, email, telephone or you can speak to them face to face at one of their surgeries.

Who stays, who goes? YOU decide!

Date Published: 28/03/08