Voters urged to use their vote on 7 May 

Ballot box graphic - dark green with light green background with hills and trees

With only one week until election day, we are urging voters to make sure they have their say on Thursday 7 May.  

This is your first chance to vote for who represents you and your area on your new East Surrey or West Surrey Council, depending on where you live. 

It is important that you vote in these elections because from 1 April 2027, these new unitary councils will take over delivering all the local government services you rely on including education, waste collection, roads, housing, play areas, planning, children’s services, adult social care and more. 

Councillors elected on Thursday 7 May will initially form part of two respective Shadow Authorities that will establish the new councils including set budgets and council tax, agree staffing structures and governance arrangements, adopt codes of conduct for members’ allowances and schemes, and prepare for the transfer of responsibilities.  

Mari Roberts-Wood, Returning Officer for the East Surrey Council elections, said: “These elections are your opportunity to choose who represents you on your new council and makes decisions on important local matters, including how the council is set up, so be sure to use your vote.”  

Andrew Pritchard, Returning Officer for the West Surrey Council elections, said: “Electors will be able to vote for up to two different candidates to represent their ward in either the East Surrey Council or West Surrey Council election. Remember, that your vote is your decision and yours alone. You also do not need to tell anyone how you voted.” 

A referendum will also be held on the Chobham Neighbourhood Plan on 7 May 2026. Only residents of Chobham Parish can vote in this referendum.  

The referendum will decide on the question: “Do you want Surrey Heath Borough Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Chobham to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”  

Once adopted, neighbourhood plans form part of the statutory development plan for the borough and are used in the determination of planning applications in the relevant Neighbourhood Plan area. 

More details can be found on the Forthcoming Elections webpage  

Voting in person at a polling station  

If you’re voting in person at a polling station: 

  • Polling stations are open from 7am until 10pm on 7 May.
  • Remember to bring accepted photo ID, including if you’re acting as someone’s proxy – you won’t be able to vote without it.
  • If you arrive without an accepted form of ID, you’ll be asked to come back with one that is accepted.
  • Check your poll card before going to vote as your polling station may have changed (you do not need your poll card to vote). 
  • If you are voting on behalf of someone else, remember that you need to go to their polling station to do so, rather than yours. 
  • If you’ve lost your poll card, you can still vote without it. Find your polling station at the Future Surrey webpage about voting in person.
  • Our polling stations are accessible. If you need any support to cast your vote, just ask your polling station staff.
  • If you’re feeling unwell or have an emergency that means you are unable to vote on the day, or your photo ID has been damaged or lost, you can apply for an emergency proxy vote until 5pm on polling day at the Electoral Commission emergency proxy vote webpage 
  • At the polling station, take your time, read the ballot paper carefully and complete it in line with the instructions.  

Acceptable forms of photo ID include: your UK, European Economic Area (EEA) or Commonwealth passport; a UK or EEA drivers’ licence; a biometric immigration document; some concessionary travel passes, such as an older person’s bus pass or an Oyster 60+ card; and the free Voter Authority Certificate. You can use expired photo ID, if it still looks like you. The name on your ID must be the same name you used to register to vote. To see the full list of accepted photo ID visit the Electoral Commission’s voter ID webpage   

Voting by post 

If you have chosen to vote by post:  

  • read all the instructions carefully
  • mark your vote for up to two different candidates on your ballot paper in secret
  • take care filling in the postal voting statement
  • put all the documents in the correct envelopes
  • seal the envelope yourself
  • post your ballot paper back as soon as possible to make sure it’s counted
  • you can hand it in at your polling station until 10pm on polling day, if you don’t manage to post it in time.  

Find your ward, polling station and who you can vote for 

You can easily find a range of information to help you vote, including your polling station, the ward you come under and the candidates you can vote for, by entering your postcode at the Future Surrey webpage about voting in person. 

More information  

You can speak to your local Electoral Services office  about:

  • Physical access, for example wheelchair ramps and disabled parking spaces 
  • Low-level polling booths 
  • Any other equipment or adjustments you need. 

Surrey Heath Borough Council Elections team can be contacted via email on vote@surreyheath.gov.uk or phone on 01276 707165.