The countdown to Hull City Council’s May elections has begun. The council’s pre-election period is officially underway after a ‘Notice of Election’ was published in the Guildhall.
On Thursday, May 7, voters in Hull will return to the polls as one third of Hull City Council is up for grabs. Votes will be held in 19 of the council’s 21 wards.
Votes to elect a third of the council take place in three of every four years. Last year was an off year, with no council elections taking place in the city.
Unlike the other 19 wards which have three councillors, the Kingswood and Ings wards only have two. Therefore, voters in these wards only go to the polls twice in every four years.
Ahead of the election, the council has entered a pre-election period, otherwise known as purdah. Purdah, which means ‘curtain’ in Hindi and Urdu, is a period in which local authorities act with heightened sensitivity following the publication of a Notice of Election.
The Local Government Act 1986 (amended in 1988) states that during a pre-election period, councils should “not publish any material which, in whole or in part, appears to be designed to affect public support for a political party”.
In practice, this means in the run up to elections, councils are particularly cautious with their communications in order to ensure nothing they put out could be perceived as electioneering. The Local Government Association list the things that councils avoid during purdah, including not issuing pictures that include candidates.
Matt Jukes, Hull City Council’s Chief Executive said: “With our local elections fast approaching, I’d like to encourage all residents who aren’t already, to register to vote. In particular, any residents who have moved house, changed their name or turned 18 in the last year will need to register so that they are able to vote.
“It is also important to remind electors that, reflecting national legislation, they now need to show acceptable photo ID to vote at a polling station or, of course, you can register for a postal vote. These elections are the opportunity for residents to have their say on who represents them on Hull City Council, dealing with decisions and issues that directly affect our day-to-day lives.”
The deadline to register to vote is Monday, April 20 and it takes just five minutes on-line at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. Information on acceptable forms of ID, or what to do if you don’t have a form of ID, is available here.
The deadline for new postal vote applications or for changes to an existing postal or proxy votes is 5pm on Tuesday, April 21. The deadline for new proxy vote applications is 5pm on Tuesday, April 28. More information about elections is available at www.hull.gov.uk/localelections.
By: Andrew Spence, LDRS
