Local government elections 2026
Information for electors (voters)
Key dates and information for electors can be found as follows:
Registering to vote
The last day to register to vote for the election is midnight on Monday 20 April 2026.
Further information can be found on registration on the register to vote pages.
Apply for a voter authority certificate to use as voter ID
If photographic ID to vote at a polling station is required, you need to apply for a voter authority certificate by 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026.
See further information on voter ID.
Find your polling station
Your poll card will contain the polling station you have been assigned for this election.
If you would prefer to check online, you can find this information via the Democracy Club Polling Station Finder shortly.
Choosing to vote by post
We need to have received your postal vote application (either online or physically in our office) by 5pm on Tuesday 21 April 2026 to put this in place for this election. Any postal vote applications received after this time (including applications received by post after this time) will not be able to be processed for this election.
See further information on postal voting.
Cancelling or changing an existing postal vote
To cancel an existing postal vote, you must inform us in writing. This can be done by emailing the Elections team at electreg@newcastle-staffs.gov.uk or writing in to Elections, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, Castle House, Barracks Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 1BL.
We needed to receive your cancellation by 5pm on Tuesday 21 April 2026.
If you are looking to make a change to your postal vote, we recommend that you complete a new application.
Returning postal vote packs
From May 2024 onwards, though returning postal vote packs by a Royal Mail post box will continue as normal, those who choose to hand their postal vote packs in at a polling station or at the offices of Castle House will only be able to hand in a total of 6 (your own and up to 5 others). You will also be asked to fill in a form when handing postal votes in at a polling station or our offices. Based on new legislation, any postal vote packs handed into a polling station or the offices of Castle House by someone who does not complete a form will be rejected and not included in the vote.
Political parties and campaigners are banned from handling postal vote packs entirely.
Choosing to vote by proxy
To appoint someone to vote on your behalf as a proxy, you will need to complete a proxy vote application.
We need to receive this is in the office by 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026. Any proxy vote applications received after this time will not be processed for this election.
See further information on proxy voting.
Cancelling or changing an existing proxy vote
To cancel an existing proxy vote, you must inform us in writing. This can be done by emailing the Elections team at electreg@newcastle-staffs.gov.uk or writing in to Elections, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, Castle House, Barracks Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 1BL.
We need to receive your cancellation by 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026.
If you are looking to make a change to your proxy vote, we recommend that you complete a new application.
Voting by emergency proxy
Emergency proxies are for medical, work or lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged photo ID related issues that have arisen after the proxy deadline on 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026.
We need to receive completed emergency proxy applications by 5pm on Thursday 7 May 2026.