It’s local election time!
What are local elections and how can you participate?
In May, citizens across England and Northern Ireland have the opportunity to decide who will represent their community in the council. Local government elections are taking place on May 4th for 230 councils across England and on May 18th for the 11 councils in Northern Ireland. In some local authorities, mayors are elected directly by citizens, and four of these posts (Bedford, Leicester, Mansfield and Middlesbrough) are up for elections this year. That means there are lots of opportunities coming up for voters to make their voices heard at the ballot box!
In order to participate in the local elections you'll need to be registered to vote and the deadline for registration this year is April 17th. If you’re not sure whether you are allowed to vote, you can check the criteria here. The rules for local elections are a bit different from general elections so you may have the right to vote even if you can’t participate in national elections. Before the elections, you will receive information on which polling station you need to go to on election day. Don’t forget to take your photo ID with you or if you don’t have one, apply for a ‘Voter Authority Certificate’ before April 25th! If you’re unable to vote in person, you can choose postal voting (apply before April 18th) or send someone on your behalf. Not all councils are holding elections this year so head to the Electoral Commission’s website to find out if yours is!
Why you should vote?
Councils control essential services you use everyday such as schools, local housing, parks, road maintenance, public transport, and planning applications that shape your local area. Therefore, it is really important to turn up at the ballot box and have a say in who decides on these issues that impact your life. Local politics can be very different from national politics. For example, local branches of parties may have very different policies to their national counterparts and there might be a larger range of candidates to choose from including independents, members of local parties, or parties which aren’t strong on a national level but are locally. This means that you might find it easier to choose a viable candidate that represents your values more accurately. In addition, Councillors represent a smaller number of people compared to MPs, so your vote has more influence on the election results, especially since turnout at local elections is a lot lower (35.9% in 2021 in England) than general elections (67.3% in 2019). Councillors are members of the local community and are open to suggestions from the public so you can get involved with their work more closely once they are elected.
Vote for a healthy planet!
Since you’re here, we know that a healthy planet is something you care about. Voting is one of the best things you can do for the climate and nature and councils play a crucial role in mitigating climate change and biodiversity loss. They are responsible for delivering a 10% biodiversity gain set out in the Environment Act and a third of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions are linked to sectors that are shaped by local authorities’ practices, policies or partnerships. Councils can act for the climate and nature by, for example, launching initiatives to improve air quality, investing in renewable energy, supporting home insulation, providing sustainable transport options, restoring local natural areas, or installing recycling and composting systems - so that’s a lot of things you could influence just by voting! These actions have a direct impact on your environment and wellbeing and help you live more sustainably. It is difficult to opt for low-carbon travelling if cycle paths are unsafe and public transport is poor quality, or to change your family’s diet if there are no sustainable school meal options. Individual action can only do so much, we need systemic solutions delivered by politicians at all levels of government. Councils have the power to make significant changes at the local level through regulations and controlling how public money is spent. They make decisions on crucial collective issues, including climate change and biodiversity, so we should all make our voices heard at the ballot box in May!
What’s more, you can let your politicians know you’re voting for a healthy planet at the coming elections by making The Commitment. When you do this, you commit to vote only for politicians who work for urgent action on the climate and nature. Voting for a healthy planet means different things for different people; you can learn more about honouring your Commitment here. We will take your Commitment, together with others’ from your area, to your local politicians such as your MP and councillors. Commitments encourage politicians to take urgent action for the planet by showing that doing so is a vote-winner and that there is overwhelming support from the public in tackling climate change and biodiversity loss. It’s a win-win: good for the planet and for winning elections!
If you want to find out how your council is doing on the climate and nature, head to Climate Emergency UK or Friends of the Earth. To get inspired on local climate action, take a look at these case studies. And to join The Commitment in our mission of speeding up government action on the climate and nature, make your Commitment here. See you at the ballot box in May!
Written by Lilla Tóth, Political Engagement Co-ordinator.