How to vote

Before you can vote in the local elections on May 1st you must ensure you are registered to vote.

The London Assembly website states that voter registrations must be received by April 16th in order for people to vote in the upcoming London Assembly and Mayoral election on May 1st.

It provides a list of registration forms for each of the London Boroughs which can be printed off.

The website gives details of who is eligble to vote but we have also listed this below:

Those eligible to vote in both the Mayoral and London Assembly elections voters must:

live in London

be a British, Commonwealth or EU citizen

be 18 years old or over on May 1st 2008.

These conditions also apply if you live outside of London and wish to vote in upcoming locoal elections in your area.

Meanwhile, there are three main ways to vote, in person, by post or by proxy. As yet online voting doesn't count.

Voting in person

Poll cards will be automatically delivered to all registered voters in the weeks before the election, telling voters where their polling station is. Voters do not need to take their poll card with them to be able to vote, although some form of identification is requiried.

Polling stations will be open between 7am and 10pm on May 1st 2008.

Voting by post

Anyone can choose to vote by post. But to do so potential postal voters must apply by contacting their local borough's elections office or by downloading the postal voting application form from aboutmyvote and returning it to their borough council.

Ballot papers will be sent shortly before the election and must be returned before 10pm on May 1st.

The last day to apply for a postal vote is, as with voter registrations, April 16th.

Voting by proxy

Voters have to give a specific reason if they require a proxy vote, for example if they are out of London on the day of the election, registered blind or have a permanent physical incapacity. In such cases eligibgle voters can choose someone to vote on their behalf.

Again however they must apply to vote by proxy by contacting their local borough council’s elections office or by downloading the application form from aboutmyvote and returning it to their borough council.

The last day to apply for a proxy vote is April 23rd.