Although elections are not taking place this year for Dorset Council councillors (they happen in 2024), some by-elections and neighbourhood plan referendums and the Police Crime Commissioner election are taking place in the county on 6 May.
These are:
By-elections for:
Lyme Regis Town Council
Weymouth Town Council – Wyke Regis Ward
Weymouth Town Council – Preston Ward
Shaftesbury Town Council – West Ward
Swanage Town Council – Swanage North Ward
Ferndown – Ferndown Central Ward
Elections will now not be taking place in the following two parishes as the candidates standing in these two areas will be uncontested on 6 May:
Portland Town Council – Portland Tophill East Ward
Okeford Fitzpaine Parish Council (2 seats)
Dorset’s towns and villages have town or parish councils. They sit at the level below Dorset Council and represent many local matters, including allotments, play areas, neighbourhood planning and community centres.
Neighbourhood Plan Referendums for:
Arne, Blandford+, Chickerell, Milton Abbas, Portland, Puddletown and Shaftesbury.
When adopted, neighbourhood plans become part of the development plan for an area. See the adopted local plans. They sit alongside a local plan and are considered in deciding whether or not planning permission should be given.
See more information about neighbourhood plans and the referendums
and
Police and Crime Commissioner election
A Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) is responsible for policing across the county (covering both the Dorset Council and BCP Council areas).
Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are elected every four years. The last election was in May 2016, with the elections that were due to be held in May 2020 being postponed by 12 months to 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The nominations process for this election is being dealt with by Electoral Services at Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (telephone 01202 123400 or email elections@bcpcouncil.gov.uk). To request a nomination pack, please email Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council at candidates.agents@bcpcouncil.gov.uk.
You can find out about the role of a Police and Crime Commissioner by visiting the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners’ website and there is information for prospective candidates on the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner website.
Read more about the PCC elections in Dorset
Are you registered to vote?
If you need to register to vote (this might be because you have recently moved to a new address) you can register to vote online. You will need to do this before midnight on Monday 19 April.
If you are not sure if you are already on the electoral register, you can telephone Dorset Council’s elections team on 01305 838299.
How to vote
There are a number of ways to have your say in the elections and referendums –
- vote in person at a polling station on 6 May
- apply to vote by post (your application must be received by 5pm on 20 April)
- apply to vote by proxy to appoint someone else to vote on your behalf (your application must be received by 5pm on 27 April).
Emergency proxy voting will also be available for anyone who is self-isolating, or shielding, on the day of the elections. They will be able to appoint someone else to vote on their behalf up to 5pm on polling day.
Your poll card
Poll cards will start to be sent to registered voters at the end of March 2021.
If your circumstances have not changed since you registered to vote, your name should be on the electoral register and you will receive a poll card which tells you where you should vote.
If you have already chosen to vote by post, you will receive a poll card which tells you when and where your voting papers will be sent.
Safety at the polling stations
All our polling stations will be equipped with all the measures we have become used to during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes:
- hand sanitisers
- signage to ensure everyone keeps a safe distance
- the wearing of face coverings (unless you’re exempt)
- pencils will be available, but voters can bring their own pen or pencil to use if they prefer
Campaigners visiting private homes
The government has confirmed leaflets publicising election candidates can be delivered to homes, provided it is done in a COVID-safe manner. The government has also confirmed that campaigners will be able to speak to potential voters.
However, campaigners will not be allowed enter private homes. They may speak to electors on their doorsteps, maintaining at least 2 metres distance at all times.
Read the government’s full guidance.
Election counts
For the Dorset Council area, the verification* of the PCC votes and of the town and parish by-elections and neighbourhood plan referendum votes will take place at the Redlands Community Sports Hub, Dorchester Road, Weymouth. This will start on Thursday 6 May just after 10pm.
*Verification means all ballot papers are counted to ensure the number of papers in each box matches the ballot paper account (the form completed by the presiding officer at either a polling station or at the opening and verification of the postal ballot packs).
The counting of the votes cast for each candidate, for the PCC elections, town and parish elections and neighbourhood plan referendums will start at 10.00am on Friday 7 May at Redlands Community Sports Hub. Once all the votes have been counted, the PCC results will be passed to BCP Council. BCP Council will declare the result of the PCC election.
Key dates for voters for the 2021 elections
| Deadline to register to vote: | Midnight on Monday 19 April 2021 |
| Deadline for postal vote and postal proxy vote applications to be received by Dorset Council: | 5pm on Tuesday 20 April 2021 |
| Deadline for changes to any existing arrangements for postal and proxy votes to be received by Dorset Council: | 5pm on Tuesday 20 April 2021 |
| Deadine for new proxy vote applications to be received by Dorset Council: | 5pm on Tuesday 27 April 2021 |
| Approximate date that postal vote packs are due to be received by voters: | Monday 19 April 2021 |
| First date that voters can apply for a replacement for lost postal votes: | Thursday 29 April 2021 |
| Polling day: | Thursday 6 May 2021 (polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm) |
| Deadline for emergency proxy vote applications to be received by Dorset Council: | 5pm on Thursday 6 May 2021 |
This is the second occasion I have not received my postal vote documentation – Shaftesbury, Dorset, is my local area for election purposes
I am registered to vote in this way – it would appear you need to audit your records, to ensure each eligible individual is empowered to use their vote – if not, it makes a mockery of our democratic process.
Lindsey – This article was published two years ago. There are no planned elections for the Dorset Council area in May 2023. The next planned elections (for Dorset Council, town and parish councils in the Dorset Council area and the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner) will take place in May 2024.