The campaign to encourage Hull and East Yorkshire residents to register and vote for the region’s first elected mayor has begun.
Posters and large external advertising boards have been appearing across Hull and East Yorkshire, raising awareness of the chance to vote in the election on Thursday 1 May.
The notice of election was posted last month, signalling the start of the campaign which will see thousands of eligible voters from across the region given the chance to elect the first mayor of the Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority (HEYCA).
Social media content, as well as a radio campaign, will continue during April.
From mid-April booklets will also be delivered to all eligible voters, naming all candidates and detailing their manifestos – a statutory requirement for all mayoral elections.
Mark Rogers, Interim Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service for HEYCA, said: “We’ve been working hard and at pace to get the Combined Authority up and running and ready for the new mayor to come to the helm.
“This is a historic moment for democracy in this area, with voters having their say on who should shape some big decisions about things previously down to those in Westminster.”
Alan Menzies, Combined Area Returning Officer and Chief Executive of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “The election gives residents the opportunity to have their say on who represents Hull and the East Riding as the mayor for the next four years.
“Working alongside local leaders, the mayor will unlock investment and opportunities for our region, maximising the benefits of devolution in the years ahead.”
Matt Jukes, Hull City Council Chief Executive and Local Returning Officer for Hull, said: “These elections are the first opportunity for residents to have their say on who will represent them as Mayor of the Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority.
“Working alongside local leaders they will be an important voice for our region, helping to secure inward investment, create jobs and ensure our people have the right skills to take advantage of existing and new opportunities, making Hull and East Yorkshire a better place to live, work and do business.”
The deadline to register to vote is Friday 11 April and it takes just five minutes on-line at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
Information on acceptable forms of ID, or what to do if you don’t have a form of ID, is available at How to vote: Photo ID you’ll need – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Poll letters will be issued to all registered electors in the region in the coming weeks with important details on how to vote.
All electors can choose to vote by post for any reason, including if they cannot get to a polling station on Thursday 1 May.
Applications can be made online: Apply for a postal vote – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
The deadline for new postal vote applications or for changes to an existing postal or proxy votes is 5pm on Monday 14 April.
It is also possible to vote by proxy, where a voter can appoint someone they trust to vote on their behalf.
Applications can also be made online: Apply for a proxy vote – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
The deadline for new proxy vote applications is 5pm on Wednesday 23 April.
Paper application forms for both postal and proxy votes can also be requested from the Electoral Services offices of the respective councils.
In Hull, email electoral.services@hullcc.gov.uk or call 01482 613386.
In the East Riding of Yorkshire, email electoral.services@eastriding.gov.uk or call 01482 393300.
More information about the election is available here.