Don't forget to vote today - here's what you need to know

Don't forget to vote today - here's what you need to know

Posted on: 02 May 2024

Today, Thursday 2 May, is local election day, where you have the opportunity to elect your local councillors and Police & Crime Commissioner. Here’s what you need to know.

 

Voting! A powerful and fragile right that we often take for granted – or discard altogether. But everyone has their problems with the way the local government is run, and this is your chance to do something about it.

 

 

Today, you’ll be voting to elect the local councillor(s) for your ward – of which there are 34 in Bristol. You can find out which your ward is here. Most wards will be electing two councillors, but some of the larger wards (like Ashley, or Avonmouth) will be electing three, and some of the smaller wards (Like St George West or Hotwells) only elect one.

 

Additionally, you will also be electing the Police & Crime Commissioner for the entirety of Avon & Somerset, who works as a kind of political liaison with the police force: setting their budget, holding the police force to account, and ensuring the police force meets the needs of the community. You can choose between the Labour (Clare Moody), Conservative (Mark Shelford), Green (Katy Grant) and Lib Dem (Benet Allen) candidates. Learn more about the candidates here.

 

 

Voting is already open, and will close at 10pm. Remember, you now need to bring a valid form of ID to be able to vote, such as a passport, driver’s licence, or Older Person’s Bus Pass. For the full list of eligible ID you can bring, head here. 

 

So, to recap: you can vote today, from 7:00 – 22:00. You’re voting for your local councillor, who will represent your interests at council meetings, and the Police & Crime Commissioner, who is the politician in charge of working with the police force and Chief Constable to make sure they’re representing the interests of the community. You need to bring ID to vote.

 

So, get out there and vote – then go have a beer or something. It’s a powerful right, and worth celebrating!

Voting resources:

Article by:

Patrick Bate

Patrick is a filmmaker with so much Bristol in his blood the white blood cells are graffiti'd. Educated at the Northern Film School in Leeds, he’s returned home to be a Videographer and Reviewer for 365Bristol and BARBI. When he’s not messing about with cameras, he enjoys playing guitar, spending far too much time on tabletop RPGs, and being an awful snob about cider. Have a look at his work here, or get in touch at patrickb@365bristol.com.