We have received postal vote application forms from some voters in Chelmsford via the local Conservative Party. The privacy notice included in the form states that the information will only be used by the Conservative Party and not passed on to anyone else. We have opted to accept and process these applications, as we believe that it is clear that the individuals' intention was to apply for a postal vote. We believe they understand that this means the information would be shared with us. Our priority is to ensure that all eligible residents in Chelmsford are able to cast their vote in the upcoming elections and that no one is disenfranchised.
Upcoming elections
We hold full City Council elections every four years, alongside parish area elections. The last election was in 2019 and the next is due on 4 May 2023.
All wards of Chelmsford City Council will have elections on this date but only some of the parish areas will have elections. This depends on how many people chose to stand in these elections.
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You do not need to re-register to vote for each election. If you voted in the last elections and nothing has changed (such as you haven't moved house), then you do not need to do anything.
If you are not registered to vote, or something has changed since you last voted, you can register to vote online.
The deadline to register to vote for these elections is midnight Monday 17 April 2023.
We will send out poll cards around Monday 20 March 2023. As the law has changed, your poll card may look different this year. Your poll card may be sent in the form of a letter, but the envelope will be clearly labelled.
You need to read your polling card carefully to check your voting arrangements. You do not need to take it with you to vote.
Some polling stations may have changed since the last election. You can check where your polling station is on your poll card or using this map (this will be updated nearer the election).
If you need additional help when voting at a polling station, you can contact us online.
The UK government has decided that voters must show photo identification when voting in person.
You can find out more information about voter ID. This includes a list of acceptable documents.
If you do not have ID, you can apply for a voter authority certificate for free.
The deadline for applying for the certificate is 5pm on Tuesday 25 April 2023.
If you are going to be away, or can’t get to your polling station on 4 May, you can apply to vote by post or by proxy.
Postal voting
If you apply to vote by post, we will send your ballot papers to you by post. You must return your ballot paper by 10pm on election day. You can send your vote back to us by post or deliver it to us by hand.
We will send out postal votes from around Friday 14 April 2023. You can view our guidance on completing your postal vote.
You can apply for postal vote online. You must send your applications to us before 5pm on Tuesday 18 April 2023.
Proxy voting
If you apply for a proxy vote, you can appoint someone else to cast your vote for you. This should be a friend or family member that you trust.
Unless your proxy sets up a proxy postal vote, they will have to go to your polling station to cast your vote.
You can apply for a proxy vote online. You must send your applications to us before 5pm on Tuesday 25 April 2023.
You can find out more about voting by postal and proxy voting.
- Poll card delivery: around Monday 20 March 2023
- Deadline for submitting nomination pack: 4pm on Tuesday 4 April
- List of candidates published: Wednesday 5 April 2023
- Deadline to register to vote: 11.59pm on Monday 17 April 2023
- Deadline to apply for postal or change existing postal votes: 5pm on Tuesday 18 April 2023
- Deadline to apply for proxy vote or change existing proxy votes: 5pm on Tuesday 25 April 2023
- Deadline to apply for Voter Authority Certificates (voter ID): 5pm on Tuesday 25 April 2023
- Polling day: Thursday 4 May 2023 (7am to 10pm)
- Count and publication of results: Friday 5 May 2023
You can view our working at elections page to find out more about the roles on offer.
The Electoral Commission has produced a number of helpful videos to explain various aspects of the voting process. This includes videos in British Sign Language.
You can visit the Electoral Commission's YouTube channel.