Council urges residents to take up postal voting

On Thursday 6 May elections are scheduled to elect councillors to Leeds City Council and a mayor for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.  

A devolution deal for West Yorkshire was signed into law on Friday 29 January, which will see the combined authority mayor given new powers in the region.

Voters are being asked to consider how they will cast their votes on 6 May.

Some disruption is anticipated due to changes to polling stations, with some locations unsuitable for social distancing.  Voters will be expected to wear a mask and comply with other safety measures. Limited numbers permitted inside polling stations may mean long queues.

For the general election in December 2019, more than one in five of those people who voted in Leeds did so by post.

Households will shortly receive a letter and postal forms but it is also possible to download a postal vote application form at https://www.leeds.gov.uk/your-council/elections/postal-voting. The deadline to apply for a postal vote for elections is 5pm on Tuesday 20 April, but residents who choose to vote by post are being asked to apply as soon as possible to help manage increased demand. 

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact our Helpline on 0113 2224411 electors@leeds.gov.uk.

Tom Riordan, Electoral Registration Officer and Chief Executive at Leeds City Council, said:

“It is always important people exercise their democratic right, and we are making sure residents are aware of their options. Postal voting could help if your polling station has moved meaning you have further to travel, if you’re shielding or simply if you wish to avoid having to vote in person during the pandemic. If you apply, you can do this for 6 May only or for all future elections. This will be one of the most logistically challenging elections we’ve ever seen, so if you do attend a polling station please be patient and comply with the rules to keep yourself and others safe. Counting will also take longer and we expect results to be announced over the weekend after the election this time.”