Upcoming Elections

When there is an election, a list of all the candidates will be provided below in a format that works best with audible readers and web-based reading technologies. They can be listened to whilst using a Tactile Voting Device at the polling station.

• Ramsgate Electoral Division of the Kent County Council
• Margate Electoral Division of the Kent County Council
• Cliftonville Electoral Division of the Kent County Council
• Broadstairs Electoral Division of the Kent County Council
• Birchington & Rural Electoral Division of the Kent County Council

The Electoral Commission offers excellent guidance regarding the completion of nomination papers for an election. Please refer to their guidance or seek your own legal advice before completing a set of nomination papers.
Candidates and Election Agents can submit completed nomination papers by appointment only between 10am – 4pm from Monday 24 March 2025 and every working day thereafter between 10am – 4pm on Wednesday 2 April 2025.

We can also offer Election Agents appointments to informally check nomination papers before submission. Appointments can be made with the elections team by phone on 01843 577630 or email at electoral.services@thanet.gov.uk.

The Deputy Returning Officer will be holding a briefing outlining the process of the election from nominations to the count. The meeting will be held on Tuesday 11 March from 5.30 pm- 6.30pm in the Council Chamber please notify the elections team by phone or email if you wish to attend.

A blank nomination pack can be downloaded from the Electoral Commission’s website.

A Polling Station Passport may help someone that finds the process of voting hard or confusing. The card is a form that holds information of a registered voter so that staff at a polling station can make sure they can help in the right way.

The registered voter hands the Polling Station Information card to the member of staff who will then check the details on the register and offer help and assistance throughout the process of voting.

The staff member will not be able to vote on the person’s behalf, or indicate who they should vote for but offer guidance on where to mark the ballot paper against their choice to make sure it isn’t rejected.

The voter will then be shown to the ballot box, where the ballot paper needs to be placed.

If you would like to receive a printed copy of this polling station information card, please contact electoral services on 01843 577500 or email electoral.services@thanet.gov.uk.

You can also pick up a printed version at polling stations on election day, you must be registered to vote and vote at a polling station (not by post).

The voting process should be accessible to all voters. We offer a range of support for disabled voters to enable them to vote independently or with assistance.

To help make polling stations accessible we provide:

• ramps where needed so polling stations are wheelchair accessible
• large print versions of ballot papers to view
• pencils with grips
• Large magnifiers to use when reading guidance or marking the ballot paper
• Tactile Voting Devices, to enable visually impaired voters to mark their ballot papers independently
• Polling Stations have a polling booth adapted for wheelchair users
• The slot on top of the Ballot Box is highlighted
• LED light when needed
• Yellow Privacy Screens
• Friendly, helpful and trained polling station staff who will make reasonable adjustments where possible

You will be required to provide photographic ID when voting in a polling station, information on Voter ID can be found on our website.

If you are a disabled voter or require additional support to complete a ballot paper on your own, you can take a friend or relative to the polling station to help you. Our polling station staff will also be available to help you.

You can ask someone to

• assist you moving around the polling station
• read out the candidates’ names and parties on the ballot paper in order
• explain the voting options to you
• use their knowledge of your communication methods to understand who you want to vote for
• come into the polling booth with you
• mark the ballot paper with your decision if you permit them to do so

Someone else cannot:

• decide who you should vote for
• mark the ballot paper against your wishes
• stop you from voting because you have a disability or require additional support

Additional support

Please let the polling station staff know if you need any additional support to be able to exercise your right to vote.

For example, if you need:

• someone to read out the candidates on the ballot paper
• to be shown a large print ballot paper
• to use the Tactile Voting Device
• someone to help you mark the ballot paper with your decision, either someone who has accompanied you or the polling station staff
• to be assisted in moving around the polling station

• Mencap – Guides to voting
• RNIB – Voting and elections
• My vote my voice
• Gov.uk – Registering to vote
• My vote my voice – how politics work

Information in British Sign Language

For other information on voting you can watch The Electoral Commission’s videos in British Sign Language.

Candidates are limited to spend £960,  plus 8p per local government elector in the division registered to vote on the last day for publication of the notice of election (Tuesday 25 March 2025).

Candidates can calculate how much they can spend on their campaign during the ‘regulated period’ using the table above. The regulated period begins on the day after the date a person officially becomes a candidate and ends on polling day – Thursday 1 May 2025.

The Electoral Commission offers guidance on campaigning.

Agents, who work on behalf of a candidate, are required to submit an expenses return after the election. Expense returns forms and more information about the process can be downloaded from the Electoral Commission’s website.

Poll cards will be issued to all registered electors as soon as possible after the notices of election have been published.

Contact our elections team if you have not received a poll card although you do not need this to vote.

• Email: electoral.services@thanet.gov.uk
• Call 01843 577000

Please Note: We have been made aware of a printing error on our postal poll cards that are reaching properties this week.

The poll card states that If you have not received your postal vote by 25 March to contact us, this is incorrect and should read Friday 25 April.

Please accept our apologies for any confusion this has caused.

In order to list all the suitable forms of photo ID acceptable at a polling station, poll cards are now A4 size and will be delivered in an envelope.

A list of acceptable forms of photo ID can be found on the Electoral Commission website.

The photo ID does not have to be valid provided that the photograph is still a suitable likeness. If you do not have any of the photo ID listed, you can apply for a Apply for photo ID to vote (called a ‘Voter Authority Certificate’) on GOV.UK. This will be posted direct to your registered address.

The poll card will list the different types of elections for your electoral area. It will say how many votes you have on each ballot paper.

To vote in the elections – either at a polling station, by post, or by appointing someone you trust to vote on your behalf as your proxy you must first be registered to vote, which can be done  online in 15 minutes.

To apply for a postal vote you can download, print and complete a postal vote application form.

If you are thinking about voting by post, you can apply to do this now. This will make sure your application is processed early, and your postal vote can be sent to you more quickly once the candidates for the elections are confirmed.

If you aren’t able to cast your vote in person, you can ask someone you trust to cast your vote for you. This is called a proxy vote and the person casting your vote is often referred to as your proxy. The person voting on your behalf can either go to your polling station to cast your vote, or can apply to vote for you by post.

To apply for a proxy vote you can download, print and complete a form to vote by proxy explaining why you can’t get to your polling station in person.

To vote in any election in the UK, you must be registered to vote. It takes 15 minutes to register and you can do this online.

If you are unable to register online, you can apply by post. You can download and print the forms here.

Yes, voting by post is safe and proven cases of electoral fraud are rare. When voting by post, you should mark your vote on the ballot paper in secret, and seal the envelope yourself.

You will also be asked to give your date of birth and signature when applying for a postal or proxy vote. This makes postal voting safe, because when you return your postal voting pack your signature and date of birth are checked against those you provided to confirm your identity.

Your signature and date of birth are separated from your ballot paper before it is looked at or counted, so giving this information will not affect the secrecy of your vote.