Barton Seagrave Parish Council by-election

Residents of Barton Seagrave will be able to vote in a by-election taking place in their area on Thursday 14 September 2023.

• Statement of persons nominated - Barton Seagrave Parish Council
• Notice of election - Barton Seagrave Parish Council
• Notice of poll - Barton Seagrave

For any queries in connection with the by-election, please contact your local elections office. 

Polling stations

New requirement for Voter ID

Polling station voters must provide photo ID when voting at a polling station. If you don’t have one of the acceptable forms of voter ID you can apply online for a voter authority certificate. You can also apply for a voter authority certificate by completing a paper application form.

Please contact the elections team for further assistance. The deadline for applying for a voter authority certificate is 5pm on Wednesday 6 September 2023. You’ll need to submit a passport style photograph if you make an application for a voter authority certificate.

The polling stations for this by-election are at:

• Church House, St Botolphs Road, Barton Seagrave, NN15 6SR (Clear signage and barriers will be in place for a partial road closure of St Botolphs Road on day of poll)
• Barton Seagrave Village Hall, 11 Bertone Road, Barton Seagrave, NN15 6WF

Polling station opening hours are 7am until 10pm on Thursday 14 September 2023.

Key dates

Emergency proxy vote applications for medical or work-related emergencies or certain situations regarding voter ID can be accepted until 5pm on election day.

Postal voters can apply for a replacement for a spoilt or lost postal vote up until 5pm on polling day (Thursday 14 September 2023). From 5pm on the day before polling, replacement postal ballot packs can only be issued in person to the elector themselves.

Postal votes

Apply for a postal vote

Complete an application to vote by post form or call your local elections office if you need a paper copy.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Wednesday 30 August 2023. Applicants must already be registered to vote.

Returning postal votes

Complete and return your postal vote as soon as possible using the freepost envelope provided. Only postal votes that are received by the Returning Officer by 10pm on polling day are counted. If you have a postal vote, you will not be able to vote in the polling station on polling day.

If you forget to send your postal vote back in time, completed postal vote packs can be handed into any polling station in the electoral area on polling day (Thursday 14 September 2023) between 7am and 10pm. 

Lost or spoilt postal votes

Replacement packs can be issued from Friday 8 September 2023 until 5pm on polling day. From 5pm on the day before polling, replacement postal ballot packs can only be issued in person.

You will need to bring proof of identification: either one photographic ID such as a passport or driving licence, or two pieces of ID which confirm your name and address (such as a bank statement, utility bill or official letter). A bank card is not accepted as valid identification.

Please contact your local elections office if you require assistance.

Registering to vote

How to register

It takes less than 3 minutes to register to vote online. It helps to have your National Insurance number to hand, which can be found on your payslip, P60, or letters about tax, pensions and benefits. You will need to provide your National Insurance number as part of your application.

You can also register to vote over the phone by contacting your local elections office or by completing a paper form. Please bear in mind that you will still need to provide your National Insurance number to apply via telephone or a paper form.

Don’t leave your registration until the last minute, just in case you have any problems. The last date to register is Tuesday 29 August 2023.

Changing name, address, or nationality

If you have changed your name, nationality or address recently and have not re-registered yourself to vote, you must do so by 11:59pm on Tuesday 29 August 2023 - the easiest way to register is online. You will need to provide your National Insurance Number as part of your application.

Deadline to register

Deadline for voter registration is 11:59pm on Tuesday 29 August 2023.

You won’t be able to vote on Thursday 14 September 2023 if you register to vote after this deadline.

Proxy Votes

A proxy vote is where an elector appoints someone that they trust to vote on their behalf. Both the elector and proxy voter must already be registered to vote and the proxy must have an acceptable form of Voter ID.

The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 5pm on Wednesday 6 September 2023. Applicants must already be registered to vote.

Apply for a proxy vote

Complete an application to vote by proxy form or call your local elections office if you need a paper copy.

Your nominated proxy must be eligible to vote in the election or referendum and available to vote in person at your polling station on election day. They’ll need to take photo ID with them in order to vote on your behalf.  

They can apply to cast their proxy vote by post, but in order for your proxy to vote by post, they must complete an application to vote by post and return it by the postal vote deadline (5pm on Wednesday 30 August 2023). 

Once a proxy has been appointed they will receive a letter and poll card to confirm the arrangement has been accepted. Both the letter and poll card are for information purposes only and when voting in person do not need to be brought to the polling station in order to vote unless the elector is anonymous.

Where a proxy has been appointed to vote at a polling station, the elector can vote at the polling station instead – but only if the proxy has not already voted on their behalf.

Unexpected emergency situations

After 5pm on Wednesday 6 September 2023 until 5pm on polling day, voting by emergency proxy may be available but only under specific extenuating circumstances. If you have suffered a medical emergency, have been called away to work, or your intended Voter ID is lost, stolen, damaged or not received then you can apply to vote by emergency proxy.

The above must have occurred after 5pm on Wednesday 6 September 2023. If they occur beforehand then you can register for a normal proxy vote. Certain applications to vote by emergency proxy must be attested by a medical professional or by your employer in the case of a medical emergency or because of being called away to work respectively.

An elector may also apply for an emergency proxy on grounds relating to voter identification if, after the deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate (Wednesday 6 September 2023) but before 5pm on Thursday 14 September 2023.

If you believe you qualify and wish to vote by emergency proxy, then please contact your local elections office. Applications to vote by emergency proxy must reach the elections team by 5pm on polling day in order to be considered for these elections.

Voting

You must be:

• Registered to vote in Barton Seagrave Parish
• 18 or over on 14 September 2023
• A UK, Irish, EU or qualifying Commonwealth citizen

A qualifying Commonwealth citizen is someone who has leave to enter or remain in the UK or does not require such leave. The list of qualifying countries, British Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories can be found on the Electoral Commission website.

How to vote

If you do not have a postal or proxy vote, you can cast your vote in person at the polling station, remember when you vote at the polling station you need to provide photo ID. Your polling station is open from 7am to 10pm.

Poll cards

You don’t need your poll card to be able to vote unless you are registered anonymously. If you bring it with you, please take it with you when you leave the polling station.

Polling station

Your polling station is indicated on your poll card. Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm. You need to provide photo ID when voting at the polling station.

Results

Attending the verification and count

Attendance at the verification and count is either defined by law or at the invitation of the Returning Officer. Attendance will also be on a strict basis due to capacity. Please contact your local elections office.

Results announcement

The results of the Barton Seagrave Parish Council election will be announced on @NNorthantsC on X, on our website and on public noticeboards in our North Northamptonshire Council customer service centres.

Last updated 11 September 2023