Many ways to become a postal voter in Cornwall & Other Voting News
Many ways to become a postal voter in Cornwall so, do not risk being left out of the choice of your local Councillor, if you decide, come May 6th, that you do not fancy going to the local polling station, even though you can take your own pen/ pencil.
Make sure you can vote for Chris Denley, to be your Cornwall Councillor if you live in the new Land’s End Division, on 6 May. St Just & Pendeen are part of this Division.
Postal votes
Many people, particularly those who are clinically extremely vulnerable, may be concerned about leaving their home to vote. So, Cornwall Council are putting in measures to ensure that polling stations will be safe, but also encouraging anyone who is worried to apply for a vote by post, as soon as possible.
Cornwall Council want to ensure that everybody who wants to vote feels confident in doing so in whatever way they choose.
You can download the postal vote form, as a pdf here: postal-vote-app-blank-2021-Cornwall BUT DO NOT RETURN TO ME OR THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS OR ANY OTHER POLITICAL PARTY.
If you do not have a printer then call the Council’s elections team on 01209 614373 and they will send one to you.
To return the form, once you have completed it and signed it, you can send the form to Cornwall Council
- by post to Electoral Services, 3S, County Hall, Treyew Road, Truro, TR1 3AY; or
- you can scan it and send it as a PDF attachment via email to voter-registration@cornwall.gov.uk; or
- you could take a photo of the completed form on your phone and send it as a jpeg file, also to the email above.
However you decide to send it in, make sure it has your normal signature in the box provided on the form.
Proxy Voting
An alternative to postal voting or going to the polling station yourself is to request that some-one else (the proxy) be allowed to vote for you. This is often used by people who do not expect to be around to either receive a postal vote or vote in person, perhaps due to a holiday booked (less likely this time). It could be you expect to be called to hospital, about then, but not sure exactly when.
To find our more about proxy voting and to get an application form, go to the Cornwall Council’s website: Cornwall’s Electoral Services page
Emergency proxy voting: If you are told to self-isolate, just before the elections, it is really important that you stay at home.
The government is changing the law to ensure that anyone who is self-isolating can request an emergency proxy vote at the last minute – up to 5pm on polling day itself. The Electoral Services link above, explains more about this too so, if you are planning to vote in person, on the day, make sure you are familiar with this, just in case.
This screenshot shows the new Land’s End Division, that Chris Denley, Liberal Democrat, is candidate for.
Polling Stations – How Safe?
Cornwall Council are putting arrangements in place to ensure polling stations are safe places to vote. Voters can expect many of the measures they’ve become used to over recent months, such as:
- hand sanitiser
- floor markings
- social distancing
- face coverings
However, your usual polling station may not be suitable or available this time around, due to COVID, so if planning to vote in person, make sure you know where the polling station is. DO NOT ASSUME IT IS WHERE IT NORMALLY IS!
Changes in people’s working habits (i.e. more people working from home) may result in a more staggered turnout throughout the polling day, 6 May, with less people before and after work but, if schools are back, school drop off and collection times might be the new peak.
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If you want to help Chris Denley to get elected on to Cornwall Council and see me (Sue James) back on St Just Town Council, please contribute to our election campaign fund, using the donate button at the side of this post.