On Thursday 6 May 2021 there are three elections taking place for residents in Fareham. These are for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire, Hampshire County Council and Fareham Borough Council.
The elections will take place at a time when COVID-19 continues to present risks to public health. Depending on the infection rate, details about how the election will be run may change as new information becomes available. We are working with government, other local authorities, the Electoral Commission and public health authorities to ensure you stay safe when casting your vote next May.
We will update this page with further information as it becomes available. Further information can also be found on the website of the Electoral Commission at: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter 
The elections are going to look a little different this year and, while our polling stations are all COVID-19 safe, you may wish to apply for a postal vote for the first time.
A postal vote means you can have your say from the comfort of your own home and it could not be easier to apply. Simply call the elections team on 01329 824588 or e-mail elections@fareham.gov.uk and you will be sent personalised postal vote application form and pre-paid reply envelope. Alternatively, you can download a generic application form here. All forms can be e-mailed to us at elections@fareham.gov.uk.
Once your postal vote is set up and the ballot papers are ready they will be sent directly to your home, along with a pre-paid return envelope for you to send back before election day.
The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Tuesday 20 April 2021, so if you would prefer to vote by post this year, please apply early.
Voting at a polling station may take a little longer in the May elections due to some necessary changes we have made to ensure your safety. These include:
After Tuesday 20 April, if you're unable to get to a polling station to vote for any reason such as illness or self-isolation etc, please contact the elections team on 01329 824588 who will be happy to help set up a proxy vote for you. This is where a trusted representative is nominated to vote on your behalf.
Elected members (Local Councillors and MPs)
Elections employment opportunities
Electoral registration and voting
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.
All households in Fareham are sent a Household Enquiry Form every summer to check the electoral register is correct. We have to send this each year by law and there is 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/fareham (you will need the security code on your form when you log in).
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: Peter Grimwood, 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 www.gov.uk/register-to-vote 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: https://www.registertovote.service.gov.uk/register-to-vote/privacy .
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:
(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 for 2019 are:
| To appear on this month's register (publication date): | You must have applied to register to vote by this date (conditions apply): |
|---|---|
| 1 January 2021 | 10 December 2020 |
| 1 February 2021 | 8 January 2021 |
| 1 March 2021 | 5 February 2021 |
| 1 April 2021 | 10 March 2021 |
| 3 May 2021 | 9 April 2021 |
| 1 June 2021 | 10 May 2021 |
| 1 July 2021 | 9 June 2021 |
| 2 August 2021 | 9 July 2021 |
| 1 September 2021 | 10 August 2021 |
| October 2021 | No register published due to annual canvass |
| November 2021 | No register published due to annual canvass |
| 1 December 2021 | 23 November 2021 |
Every summer you will be sent a Household Enquiry Form as part of the annual canvass which takes place to ensure that the register is up-to-date. The form is a legal document that you must complete every year or you risk dropping off the electoral register. Due to annual canvass there are no monthly updates to credit reference agencies during October or November as a new register is published on 1 December each year.
You can complete your Household Enquiry Form using the security code printed on the form at www.householdresponse.com/fareham , by phone, by text or by completing and returning the paper form using the pre-paid envelope provided. Full details are on the form and you can call the Elections team on 01329 824588 if you have any questions.
Electoral register
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.
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.
Current 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, assisting with postal votes or counting ballot papers.
(540 KB) (540 KB) (533 KB) (471 KB) (477 KB) (480 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
Tel: 01329 824588
Fax: 01329 824505
Election Services, Fareham Borough Council, Civic Offices, Civic Way, Fareham, Hampshire PO16 7AZ
Monday to Friday 8:45am-5:15pm
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