Your chance to shape Salford's future

This year’s elections will take place on Thursday 6 May.

On this day voters will choose the City Mayor of Salford, all 60 Salford City Council councillors and the Mayor of Greater Manchester.

It’s one of the biggest elections in years in Salford and follows an independent boundary review in 2018 because of population changes since the last review in 2004. The Local Government Boundary Commission for England makes sure each area, known as a ward, has roughly the same number of voters.

Voters will choose three of the candidates as councillors for their local ward but for both the City Mayor of Salford and Greater Manchester Mayor, you have the option to vote for a first choice and second choice candidate if you wish. Candidates will be announced at the end of March and every voter will receive a booklet about the elections for Salford City Mayor, giving you plenty of time to decide how to cast your vote.

Check you’re registered to vote

Only people listed on the electoral register can vote. The electoral register was updated in summer 2020 so if you’ve moved home or turned 18 since then you may not be registered. You must register by midnight on Monday 19 April to vote in the May elections.

Go postal

Postal voting means you can read the information at your leisure at home and think about your choice of candidate. If you haven’t already signed up for a postal vote it’s quick and easy to do.

If you want to vote by post, please apply by 5pm on Tuesday 20 April. If you can’t download and print the form from the website below, please email elections@salford.gov.uk with your name, full address and postcode or call 0161 793 2500 to have an application form posted to you.

Voting in person

You can vote in person between 7am and 10pm on Thursday 6 May and you’ll receive a poll card telling you where your polling station is. Please check as venues may change due to availability. Polling stations will have all necessary COVID-19 safety measures in place to protect everyone involved.

Please:

• wear a face covering

• use hand sanitiser

• keep your distance

• bring your own pen or pencil to make your mark. Please avoid felt tips in case they smudge when you fold the paper and make it unclear who you are voting for.

You can also ask someone you trust to vote on your behalf which is known as a proxy vote. Please apply for a proxy vote by 5pm on Tuesday 27 April. However, if you are self-isolating you can request a proxy vote at the last minute – up to 5pm on polling day itself.

Casting your vote

Whether you vote by post or in person for this election you’ll have three ballot papers listing all the candidates seeking your vote.

When you choose your candidate mark the box carefully so it’s clear who you are voting for.

On the ballot papers for the City Mayor of Salford and the Mayor of Greater Manchester you must make a mark in the first choice box otherwise your second choice won’t be counted.

For Salford City Council choose three candidates and mark the boxes so it’s very clear which candidates you have chosen.

Your vote counts so please have your say.

Counting the votes

All votes are opened and counted in public so there’s no opportunity for fraud. This year we expect the results to be declared on Friday 7 May for Salford City Council and Saturday 8 May for the Salford City Mayor and Greater Manchester Mayor.

More about Salford’s boundary review www.salford.gov.uk/boundaryreview Register to vote www.gov.uk/register-to-vote Apply for a postal or a proxy vote www.salford.gov.uk/postalvote May elections www.salford.gov.uk/mayelections