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Upcoming Elections
Voter ID
Electoral Registration And Voting
Register To Vote
Information for Candidates
Election Notices
Election Results
Review Of Polling Districts And Polling Places
Annual Canvass
Casual VacanciesElected Members (Local Councillors And MPs)Elections Employment Opportunities
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Wards And Boundaries
Contact UsOther Useful ContactsThe most recent elections in Fareham took place on Thursday 4 July 2024, where the following elections were held:
Prior to this, the following elections were held on Thursday 2 May 2024:
The next scheduled elections will be the Hampshire County Council elections, taking place on Thursday 1 May 2025.
Further information can be found by clicking the links below:
The quickest way to register to vote is online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote 
. You need just five minutes and your National Insurance Number. If you can't reigster online, you can download a paper form .
You don't need to register to vote before every election.
If you move house, you should register again.
If you change your name, you can either:
Further information on electoral registration and voting can be found here.
When you vote in person, you go to the polling station allocated to you based on your address on the electoral register.
Before you go to vote, check where your polling station is. It might not be the closest one to where you live, and it might have changed since the last time you voted. This is particularly important as following recent boundary changes, several polling stations have changed. Please note that the name of the ward you live in may also have changed. You have to go to your allocated polling station and you can't go to a different one close to where you work, for example.
Your polling station will be on your poll card, which you will receive through the post a few weeks before polling day. Please read this carefully. Alternatively, enter your post code on 'Where do i vote?', where you can find information about the candidates standing in your ward as well as your allocated polling station.
Polling Stations are open from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm on polling day. They can get busy, particularly towards the end of the day. If there is a queue at your polling station, you will still be able to vote as long as you joined the queue before 10:00 pm.
Please note that you must show an accepted form of photographic identification before being issued with your ballot paper(s).
If you know that you won't be able to get to the polling station on polling day, you can vote by post.
You can apply for a postal vote if you're away on holiday or because your work schedule means you can't get to the polling station. You can also choose to vote by post simply because it would be more convenient for you.
Once your postal vote is set up and the ballot papers are ready, a postal vote ballot pack will be sent directly to your home, along with a pre-paid return envelope for you to send back before election day.
The quickest and preferred way to apply to vote by post is online - apply for a postal vote - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Alternatively, please contact the Elections team on 01329 824588 or email elections@fareham.gov.uk to request a paper application form.
The deadline to apply for a postal vote at a specific election is 11 days before polling day.
If you find that you won't be able to get to the polling station on polling day, and you have missed the deadline to apply for a postal vote, you can ask someone you trust to cast your vote for you. This is called a proxy vote and the person casting your vote is often referred to as your proxy.
The quickest and preferred way to apply to vote by proxy is online - apply for a proxy vote - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Alternatively, please contact the Elections team on 01329 824588 or email elections@fareham.gov.uk to request a paper application form.
When completing your application, you need to give a reason why you can't get to your polling station in person. This may be because you're going to be away on holiday, away with work, or are unable to get to your polling station due to a disability.
The deadline to apply for a proxy vote at a specific election is 6 days before polling day.
In certain circumstances, where you have an emergency that means you can't vote in person, you can apply for an emergency proxy. This must be something that you weren't aware of before the normal proxy vote deadline.
Further information and how to apply for an emergency proxy vote can be found here Emergency proxy vote | Electoral Commission .
The Electoral Commission provides guidance for anyone who wants to stand as a candidate or agent at a local government election in England.
Candidates and their agents must follow certain rules set out in legislation. The following guidance from the Electoral Commission sets out the stages that you need to go through when standing at a local government election and should help with any questions you may have:
Election notices will be published here as they become available:
The next scheduled elections in Fareham are due to take place on Thursday 1 May 2025.
Voters who wish to vote in person are now required to show an accepted form of photographic identification at a polling station before being issued with a ballot paper. Please note that you will not be required to provide photographic identification for postal voting.
Expired photographic identification document can still be used as accepted photo ID at the polling station, as long as the photograph is still a good likeness to you.
If you are a registered elector and you do not have one of the above accepted forms of photo ID, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. This is a free A4 sized paper document containing an elector's name and photograph which can be used for electoral identification purposes only.
The law specifies the types of documents that are accepted forms of ID. These have been decided by the UK Government.
Electors without suitable photographic identification can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate.
You can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate in person, by post or online. The quickest and easiest way to apply is online via the gov.uk website . If you would prefer to apply in person, please contact the Elections team on 01329 824588 where an appointment can be made at the Civic Offices. If applying in person, there is no need for you to supply a photograph as we will take a photograph for your certificate, however you will need to ensure that you bring your National Insurance Number with you.
A Voter Authority Certificate is a free paper-based A4 document which will show the voter's full name and photograph, the issuing local council, a reference number, the date of issue and a recommended renewal date.
Voters do not need to show photo ID in order to apply to vote by post or proxy. The proxy will, however, need to show their own photo ID at the polling station.
Additional information on Voter ID can be found on the Electoral Commission's website .
Local authories are required to review their polling districts and polling places for UK parliamentary constituencies at least once every five years. The next compulsory review period is the 16 months between 1 October 2023 and 31 January 2025.
The following terms are used in a polling place review:
A polling district is a geographical area created by the sub-division of a UK Parliamentary constituency for the purposes of a UK Parliamentary election.
A polling place is the building or area in which polling stations will be selected by the (Acting) Returning Officer. A polling place within a polling district must be designated so that polling stations are within easy reach of all electors from across the polling district.
A polling station is the room or area within the polling place where voting takes place.
When carrying out the compulsory review, local authorities must:
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As part of the compulsory review, local authorities must consider the accessibility of potential polling stations when considering designating or reviewing a polling place. In doing so they must seek to ensure that:
On completion of a review, the local authority must give reasons for its decisions and publish:
Between 8 May and 5 June 2024, we are seeking comments on the current polling districts and polling places. To have your say, access the consultation here Let's Talk Polling Places
All households in Fareham are sent correspondence every summer to check the electoral register is correct for that address. We have to send this each year by law and there is usually a legal requirement to respond. Details of what to do and how to respond are on your form. The easiest and quickest way to respond is online at www.householdresponse.com (you will need to enter the security codes from your form).
If a household does not respond when required, an authorised electoral canvasser will visit the property to confirm details (even if they remain unchanged). This process is also required by law.
Prior to the canvass documentation being produced, we carry out a data match exercise with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The purpose of this exercise is to help us to identify properties where residents may have changed. This information is then used to determine the route we will use to canvass each property:
Route 1 is the matched property route - this is where we are satisfied that there are no changes needed at the property and we have no reason to believe that there are any additional electors to be added. Properties that are allocated to this route will receive a Canvass Communication A letter (A4 letter), listing those registered to vote at the property. If you have received this letter, you only need to respond if there are any changes. If you do need to make any changes, please follow the instructions on the letter.
Route 2 is the unmatched property route - this is where we have been unable to match the electors 100%. Properties that are allocated to this route will receive a Canvass Form (A3 form), listing those registered to vote at the property. If you have received this form, you must respond even if there are no changes. To respond, please follow the instructions on the form.
Canvass letters and forms for 2024 are being posted mid-August. If you need to respond to either make us aware of any changes (route 1 and route 2) or to confirm there are no changes (route 2) please do so as soon as possible.
Between October and November, our team of canvassers will start to visit route 2 properties who have not yet responded to their canvass form. All canvassers will be wearing official identification which will be shown when introducing themselves. They will also be equipped with a tablet allowing them to quickly and securely confirm or amend householder details in just a few minutes. If the canvasser misses you when they visit, wherever possible they will leave a calling card which gives detailed instructions on how to respond (online, by post, by email or by telephoning the elections team on 01329 824588).
If a councillor leaves their seat during the course of their term, a casual vacancy occurs. This could be due to: the resignation of a councillor; the death of a councillor; the disqualification (or ceasing to be qualified) of a councillor; a failure to take up office.
There are not currently any casual vacancies.
The Returning Officer for Fareham needs people to carry out various duties at election time which is nearly always the first Thursday in May. This may involve working at a polling station which is open from 7am to 10pm, opening postal votes or counting ballot papers.
(72 KB) (110 KB) (112 KB) (25 KB) (22 KB) (22 KB)If you are at least 18 years old and interested in working for us at election time please complete an Application Form for Election Duties
It is important that you know if you are eligible to vote and if you are to make sure you are registered to vote at your address. If you have moved house you need to Register to Vote , even if you pay Council Tax at your new property, because nobody is automatically registered to vote. Registering is easy - you can register online or you can call the elections office for a paper form to be posted to you. You will need your national insurance number, date of birth and address. Please follow the links below to find out more:
- The quickest way to apply for a postal vote is online https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote . - The quickest way to apply for a proxy vote is online https://www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote (all application forms can be scanned and e-mailed to us or posted)
The electoral register is updated every month and these updates are also sent to credit reference agencies once a month. There are cut-off dates listed below so you can see the deadlines that apply to each monthly update. Most applications go through without needing evidence of identity (this is done via your national insurance number and date of birth) but sometimes ID is needed and you will be notified in writing if this applies to you.
Once your application has been accepted and no-one has objected to your application you will appear on the electoral register on the next publication date. You will be notified in writing when this happens. Please note that in the run up to an election, you will only be able to vote in that election if your name has been added to the register at least 12 working days before the election. The monthly register publication dates are:
| To appear on this month's register (publication date): | You must have applied to register to vote by this date (conditions apply): |
|---|---|
| Friday 1 December 2023 | Wednesday 22 November 2023 |
| Tuesday 2 January 2024 | Monday 11 December 2023 |
| Thursday 1 February 2024 | Wednesday 10 January 2024 |
| Friday 1 March 2024 | Thursday 8 February 2024 |
| Tuesday 2 April 2024 | Monday 11 March 2024 |
| Friday 5 April 2024 | Monday 25 March 2024 |
| Thursday 25 April 2024 | Tuesday 16 April 2024 |
| Monday 3 June 2024 | Friday 10 May 2024 |
| Monday 1 July 2024 | Friday 7 June 2024 |
| Thursday 1 August 2024 | Wednesday 10 July 2024 |
| Monday 2 September 2024 | Friday 9 August 2024 |
| Tuesday 1 October 2024 | Monday 9 September 2024 |
| Friday 1 November 2024 | Thursday 10 October 2024 |
| Sunday 1 December 2024 | Thursday 21 November 2024 |
| Thursday 2 January 2025 | Wednesday 11 December 2024 |
There are two versions of the register - the full register and the open register. The full register is strictly controlled and can only be used for elections, detecting crime such as fraud, calling people for jury service and credit referencing. The open register is optional so you can choose not to be on it. The open register can be sold on to third parties such as businesses and charities. If you chose not to be on the open register your right to vote will not be affected. To check if you are on the open register or to opt-out please contact the elections office. You will need to opt-out again if you ever need to re-register such as when you move home.
The Open Register is the version of the electoral register that can be sold on to third parties (such as marketing companies). It only contains names and addresses (telephone numbers and e-mail addresses are never included). Most voters are automatically included in the open register unless you have opted out. Opting out of the open register does not affect your right to vote or credit score. To check your current status or to opt out simply call the Elections team on 01329 824588 or e-mail elections@fareham.gov.uk and we will be happy to help.
Please be aware that political parties and election candidates still have access to your name and address, and whether you have a postal vote, even if you have opted out of the open register. This is legal entitlement and not something you can opt out of. Parties and candidates are restricted by law to only use your details for election purposes (e.g. campaigning) and cannot pass your details on to a third party.
Electoral Services will only use your information for electoral purposes and it will be kept secure in accordance with data protection legislation. The lawful basis to collect your information is that it is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest and exercise of official authority as vested in the Electoral Registration Officer as set out in the Representation of the People Act 1983 and associated regulations. The Electoral Registration Officer is the Data Controller: Andrew Wannell, Civic Offices, Fareham, Hants, PO16 7AZ, tel 01329 236100. Please see the Fareham Borough Council Privacy Notice for further information relating to the processing of personal data.
Click here to register to vote . You will need your date of birth and national insurance number and it only takes around 3 minutes. To verify your identity, the data you provide will be processed by the Individual Electoral Registration Digital Service managed by the Cabinet Office. As part of this process your data will be shared with the Department of Work and Pensions and the Cabinet Office suppliers that are data processors for the Individual Electoral Registration Digital Service. You can find more information about this here .
Tel: 01329 824588
Election Services, Fareham Borough Council, Civic Offices, Civic Way, Fareham, Hampshire PO16 7AZ
Monday to Thursday 8.45am-5.15pm
Friday 8.45am-4.45pm
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