May 6 is local election day. This year the Community Centre will be the polling station for residents of both Oliver’s Battery and Badger Farm as St Mark’s church is closed due to refurbishment. We have put plans in place to ensure that voting is Covid-safe.

How do I vote in a Covid-safe way?

Entry and exit will be via the black side gate in Sainsbury’s car park and through our little garden rather than the main Community Centre door. This will be a pinch point and there may be a queue, so please take care and be patient! A greeting clerk will ask if you are from Badger Farm or Oliver’s Battery. They will direct you to the correct voting station through the one-way system. Again, please be aware of people exiting the building as you enter.

You will identify yourself in the usual way. It would be appreciated if you bring your polling card, but it is not essential. If you do bring it, please take it home with you for safe disposal (Data Protection). Bear in mind that the electoral register is road by road not by name so be patient while we locate you on the list.

There will be screens for the clerks when voters collect their ballots. All election staff will wear masks or visors when they’re not behind the screens. Voters should wear masks unless exempt. To minimise the risk of transmission we ask that you bring your own pen or pencil for voting (we will have some spares if you forget or run out of ink).

Once you have voted, please follow the one-way system to leave the building.

What if I’m self-isolating?

You should not attend the polling station if you have symptoms of Covid-19 or if you have been asked to self-isolate. Hampshire County Council advises

“However, if you are self-isolating or become unwell as a result of COVID-19 shortly before polling day, or on the day of polling itself, you should not go out to vote. You can obtain an emergency proxy vote. Speak to the electoral registration team at your local district / borough council who will tell you what you need to do to arrange this. If you already have a proxy appointed to vote for you, but the proxy is then affected by COVID-19, they can also make an alternative proxy arrangement. It remains vital that people who need to self-isolate continue to do so.”

Anyone who is self-isolating because of Covid-19 can request a proxy vote up to 5pm on polling day itself.

Who can I vote for?

There are four elections being held: for county, city and parish councillors and the police and crime commissioner. You will receive one vote for each of the county and city councillor and the police commissioner elections. There are 8 seats in contention for the parish council so you will be able to vote for up to 8 candidates. Each election will have a separate ballot box.

Council elections

The lists of candidates for the councillor elections are below (click to enlarge).

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Police and crime commissioner

You can find information on the candidates for the Police and crime commissioner for our area on choosemypcc.org.uk.

When will the results be announced?

We have been advised that all ballot papers will be quarantined for 24 hours, to ensure that the vote count will also be Covid-safe. This will delay the announcement of the results.