Voters in Co. Durham area will go to the polls for the county council, Police & Crime Commissioner and parish council elections on Thursday 6th May. These elections will take place at a time when coronavirus continues to present risks to public health.

Those electors that have previously been identified as clinically extremely vulnerable, and therefore advised to take precautionary shielding measures, will shortly receive a letter informing them of the voting options available and aims to support them making the right decision about how to cast their vote.

There are three ways that voters can cast their vote at the elections: by visiting a polling station, registering for postal vote or by proxy.

Polling stations will be open on 6th May and will have safety measures in place. Voters will be encouraged to keep themselves and others safe at the polling station by:

• Wearing a face covering,

• Bringing their own pen or pencil,

• Cleaning their hands when entering and

leaving the polling station,

• Keeping a safe distance.

Voters should not attend the polling station if they have symptoms of coronavirus, or if they have been asked to self-isolate. There will be provisions in place to apply for an emergency proxy vote if required due to health circumstances.

Voters wishing to vote by post should apply now by completing a postal vote application form. A form can be requested by calling 03000 261212 or downloaded from

www.durham.gov.uk/postalvote – Postal application forms must be returned to Electoral Services, Durham County Council, Room 1/104-115, County Hall, Durham, DH1 5UL.

The deadline for completed postal vote application is 5pm on Tuesday 20 April.

Voters who are not able to vote in person can ask someone they trust to cast their vote for them. The person can either go to the elector’s polling station to cast the vote or apply to vote by post. To apply for a proxy vote, contact the electoral services team on 03000 261212. A form can also be downloaded from

www.durham.gov.uk/elections

Those wishing to vote at a polling station, by post, or by proxy must first be registered to vote – www.gov.uk/register-to-vote