Next month's elections will be the first to take place since the coronavirus pandemic hit, and this is how they will work.
Voters across Cambridgeshire will be heading to the polls on May 6 to elect a Mayor for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and the county’s Police and Crime Commissioner.
They will also be voting for their councillor at Cambridgeshire County Council, and in some areas there will also be by-elections for city, town and parish councils.
On election day itself, voters will be able to vote in person at their designated polling station.
Councils have reassured residents that these venues will be thoroughly cleaned before they open at 7am and at regular intervals throughout the day.
Voting closes at 10pm.
When inside the polling station, residents will be encouraged to wear face coverings, social distancing will be required, a one-way system will be in place and hand sanitiser provided to use.
Voters can also take their own pen or pencil if preferred.
Joan Cox, Electoral Services Team Leader at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “These elections will take place at a time when Covid-19 continues to present risks to public health.
"We want to ensure everyone, including those classed as critically extremely vulnerable, are able to vote confidently and safely.”
Anyone who is unable to vote in person on election day, whether for personal reasons or because they are clinically extremely vulnerable, can apply for a proxy vote and ask someone to vote for them on their behalf.
The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 5pm on April 27.
Ahead of these elections, the government has introduced legislation that allows voters to apply for an emergency proxy vote on polling day.
This is suitable, for example, if anyone is forced to self-isolate and is therefore unable to vote in person on the day.
The government has introduced legislation to support people affected by Covid-19 right up to polling day, by allowing them to apply for an emergency proxy vote up to 5pm on polling day itself.
To apply for a proxy vote, please contact your district council.
From 10pm on Thursday (May 6), votes across the county will be verified to determine the turnout of the area for each of the elections.
The next day (May 7) from 10am, counts for the county council election and other by-elections will take place and the results will be announced.
On Saturday (May 8), votes for the Mayor of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority will be counted in the morning and Police and Crime Commissioner in the early afternoon.
Votes will be counted at venues across Cambridgeshire allocated by district and city councils.
Each district or city will look after residents’ votes for the county council, combined authority and police and crime commissioner.
Each location will also take care of the by-elections held in its area.
The allocated venues are: the Ross Peers Sports Centre (East Cambridgeshire District Council), Hudson Leisure Centre (Fenland District Council), One Leisure St Ives (Huntingdonshire District), IWM Duxford Conservation Hall (South Cambridgeshire District), Cambridge University Sports Centre (Cambridge City) and the Peterborough Arena (Peterborough City).
Health and safety precautions, including the number of people able to attend the counts in person, are being finalised.
It has been confirmed that candidates and their agents in Cambridgeshire will be counted for as priority attendees and will be able to attend in person.
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