How to vote in the Ipswich Borough Council elections on Thursday 4 May

You are here

Elections are taking place in every area of Ipswich on Thursday 4 May to elect councillors to Ipswich Borough Council. 

To vote, a person who can vote (and who is called an elector), needs to be registered. Registration for the Thursday 4 May Elections close at 11:59pm on Monday 17 April.

Watch our guide to voting.

Priory Heath elections

Residents living in the Priory Heath ward of Ipswich will be taking part in two different elections on 4 May – one for the Suffolk County Council by-election and one for Ipswich Borough Council.

Voters will receive two separate poll cards, one for each election - these are not duplicates.

Postal voters will receive two separate postal vote packs containing two different ballot papers – these are not duplicates.

Polling Stations 

When you vote in person, you go to your allocated polling station, which is based on your address on the electoral register.  Your poll card, which is posted to you a few weeks before polling day, tells you where your allocated 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. You must go to your allocated polling station and not another one, for example because it is close to where you work or where you go shopping.

You can use Find your polling station to lookup your allocated polling station or visit: https://www.ipswich.gov.uk/elections

A poll card does not need to be taken to the polling station to be able to vote. Make sure you have an accepted form of Photographic ID or your Voter Authority Certificate with you before you go to the polling station.

How to vote at your polling station

  1. Go to your polling station between 7am to 10pm on polling day.
  2. If there is a queue join the end and when it is your turn tell the polling station staff your name and address, or, give them your poll card if you have taken it with you.
  3. You will then need to show your photographic ID or Voter Authority Certificate to the staff. A private area will be available to have your ID checked if that is your preference. This will be a separate area within the polling station separated by a privacy screen.
  4. Once staff are happy with your ID check, you will be given your ballot paper(s) and you need to take it over to the polling booth to cast your vote in secret.
  5. Read the instructions on the ballot paper(s) carefully and then complete your ballot paper(s) using the pencil provided or your own pen / pencil.
  6. Then fold your ballot paper in half and put it in the ballot box provided.

Postal vote

If you are registered to vote and are not already a postal voter and you want to vote by post in the 4 May election, you must submit a postal vote application form using this Application to vote by post form. The deadline to apply for a postal vote for this election is 5pm on Tuesday 18 April 2023. 

Once completed, you can scan or photograph the form, then send it to us online or it can be posted to the address below.

Anyone can apply to vote by post, you do not need to give a reason.

Proxy vote

If you are not able to vote in person at your polling station and do not want to vote by post, someone else can vote for you. You select the person who you want to be your proxy and tell them how to cast your vote.

You can use this Proxy vote Application form to make a Proxy vote application (for a particular election) Once completed, you can scan or photograph the form, then send it to us online or it can be posted to the address below.

If you are registered to vote and are not already a postal voter, you can submit a proxy vote application form before the deadline at 5pm on Tuesday 25 April.  

If you move house, you should register to vote again. You will also need to complete a new postal or proxy application if you choose to vote by this method.

If you change your name for any reason, you need to contact Electoral Services at the Council to request a change of name form and make a new postal or proxy application in your new name.

Ipswich is divided into 16 wards which each elect 3 councillors to a total of 48 councillors.

The elections are organised by Ipswich Borough Council. The Council can be contacted to find out if you are registered or with other queries such as about postal and proxy votes at:

Ipswich Borough Council
Electoral Services
Grafton House
15-17 Russell Road
Ipswich
IP1 2DE

Phone: 01473 432000

Email: elections@ipswich.gov.uk

https://www.ipswich.gov.uk/elections