West Devon gets ready for local elections

With just a month to go until the borough goes to the polls, West Devon Borough Council is working to ensure everything is ready ahead of the local elections on 4 May.

This year's elections will see West Devon residents vote on borough council seats, as well as some town and parish councils. All but one of the borough council seats will be voted on in the poll, as the seat of Milton Ford is uncontested.

Staff at the Borough Council have been getting things ready for polling day, including processing nomination papers, appointing and training around 300 staff for its polling stations, updating the electoral register, processing applications for postal and proxy votes and more.

The Council is also working to make this election the most accessible ever, with polling booths with wheelchair access, ramps where available, large print sample ballot papers and magnifiers, tactile voting devices, reserved disabled parking where available and further considerations being made at polling stations.

West Devon Returning Officer, Steve Mullineaux, said: "There is a lot to get ready ahead of the elections, but our officers will make sure everything is done ahead of 4 May when residents turn out to vote."

If you need to register to vote, the deadline is 11.59 p.m. on Monday 17 April. Applications for postal votes close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday 18 April. Find out more on how to register by visiting: gov.uk/register-to-vote

The biggest change to elections this year is the need for people voting in person to bring a form of photo identification with them. This ID could be your passport, driving licence or blue badge, but there are lots of forms of ID that will be accepted. Find out more about what ID is acceptable here: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/voter-id

If you don't have a photo ID, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate on the government's website by Tuesday 25 April. Visit gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate for more information.

If you know someone who does not have access to a computer and needs extra support, they can contact the Council's elections team on 01822 813604, to book an appointment to help complete their application for Voter ID online or at the Council offices at Kilworthy Park in Tavistock.