About this election
Residents will be able to vote for The Police and Crime Commissioner, the elected representative who oversees how crime is tackled across Thames Valley. Their aim is to cut crime and to ensure the police force is effective. They are elected for a four-year term. You can find more about the role of The Police and Crime Commissioner at thamesvalley-pcc.gov.uk
Register to vote
To vote in this election, residents need to be registered at their current address by Tuesday 16 April – register now online by visiting - gov.uk/registertovote
Download register to vote resources – posters / images / video
Who can you vote for?
Details of those standing for election will be confirmed on Monday 8 April.
From 10 April, more information about the candidates will be available on the Choose My PCC website - choosemypcc.org.uk/
How you can vote:
Vote at a polling station
You can vote at your designated polling station on Thursday 2 May between 7am and 10pm.
Registered voters should receive a poll card which will tell you where you need to go to cast your ballot. Polling station details can also be found by entering your postcode on the Where do I Vote website - wheredoivote.co.uk
· To vote at a polling station you must bring photo ID with you – a wide range of photo ID will be accepted, including passports, driving licences and cards with a PASS Mark – you can see the full list of accepted ID on the Electoral Commission website - electoralcommission.org.uk/voterid
· If you don’t have the accepted photo ID – apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate, at gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate The deadline for applications for this election is 5pm on Wednesday 24 April.
· People are encouraged to help friends and family members who may not have access to the internet or who may struggle to upload a photo for their ID application.
Download Voter ID resources – posters / images / full resource pack
Vote by post
Applications to vote by post close at 5pm on Wednesday 17 April - apply online now by visiting - gov.uk/apply-postal-vote
· You should return your completed postal pack using a Royal Mail post box as soon as possible - we must receive your completed postal voting pack by 10pm on Thursday 2 May, otherwise your vote will not count.
· If you applied for a postal vote – you should receive your postal ballot pack by 26 April. Anybody expecting a postal ballot who doesn’t receive it by this date should call 01235 422528 to request a replacement. Please note, we are not able to issue replacement postal ballots before 26 April so please do not call before then.
· If you miss the post, you can hand it in at our Abbey House council office in Abingdon (during office hours only) or at a polling station on election day until 10pm – please note, the person handing it in is now required to complete further documentation. Your postal vote will be rejected if it’s not received correctly – please DO NOT leave it in any council office post box or unattended reception point.
Please note, several new rules have recently been introduced for postal voting and proxy, including new re-application requirements – for more information, please visit our page on voting by post – whitehorsedc.gov.uk/votebypost
Download resources which highlight the changes to postal and proxy voting – poster / images
Vote by proxy
Applications for new proxy votes close at 5pm on Wednesday 24 April – apply online now by visiting - gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote
· if you vote by proxy, your nominated proxy will need to go to your local polling station and take their own photo ID. If they do not have photo ID, they can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate at gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate
For more information, visit our page on proxy voting - whitehorsedc.gov.uk/votebyproxy
Information for the first-time voters
Anyone who is voting for the first time can find lots of useful information on how elections work, how you can vote and what happens on election day via our first-time voter’s guide at whitehorsedc.gov.uk/elections
Counting the votes and declaring the results
The votes in this election will be counted across Thames Valley on Saturday 4 May 2024.
The results for will be officially declared in West Berkshire by the Chief Executive of West Berkshire Council who has been appointed as the Police Area Returning Officer (PARO) for this election. They will then be published on the official Thames Valley Police Area Returning Officer webpage provided by West Berkshire Council and made available on our website, including a summary of local results in the Vale of White Horse.
Information for candidates and agents
West Berkshire Council is responsible for the nominations process for this election.
Anyone interested in standing for election should email paro@westberks.gov.uk with their name, stating whether they are a prospective candidate or agent, and give contact email address and telephone number(s). More information can be found at - westberks.gov.uk/pcc-election-2024 or by contacting the West Berkshire Electoral Services Team.
You can find more information on the Vale website – whitehorsedc.gov.uk/PCCelection2024
