06 January 2009Elections generally occur in a four or five yearly cycle with set dates for all local government elections whether they are for Kent County Council, Sevenoaks District Council or the 29 parish and town councils within Sevenoaks District.
The last round of elections for Sevenoaks District Council and all the parishes within the Sevenoaks District was held on 3rd May 2007. Click on the following link to view the election results.
The next round of elections for Sevenoaks District Council and all the parishes within the Sevenoaks District will be held on 5th May 2011.
Kent County Council elections last took place on 5 May 2005. The next scheduled elections will be on 4th June 2009.
The European Parliament holds elections every five years and these are due again on 4th June 2009. Consequently the Kent County Council elections and the European Parliamentary elections will both take place on 4th June 2009.
A number of elections can be called at any time, however, including a Parliamentary General Election, the timing of which rests with the Prime Minister provided it is within five years of the existing Parliament first assembling. There are many other occasions between scheduled election dates when vacancies can occur so you could be invited to vote at any time.
Frequently asked questions about elections
Frequently asked questions about the electoral register
Contact the Electoral Services team
Only those people whose names are included on the register of electors are entitled to vote so it is definitely in your interests to get on to the register and to stay on it. As soon as you move into Sevenoaks District or from one address to another within the District, you can have your name transferred to the register for your new address. Simply download and complete the Voter registration form (
PDF File 44KB file details) and send it to:
Electoral Services
Sevenoaks District Council
Council Offices
Argyle Road
Sevenoaks
Kent
TN13 1HG
Applications are suspended between September and December while an annual audit takes place. Every household receives a voter registration form in early September and can amend any details of their households at that time. A revised register of electors is then published on 1st December.
It is no longer necessary to vote in person at the polling station either - anyone who would prefer to vote by post can arrange to do so very simply by contacting us at elreg@sevenoaks.gov.uk or call us on 01732 227188 or 01732 227243.
Frequently asked questions - Elections
1. How do I know that there is an election?
Announcements are made in newspapers and often on the radio and television, particularly for a general election. As well as this general publicity you will receive a poll card advising you of the date, time and place if you are going to vote in person. The poll card will also give a helpline number that you can telephone, particularly if you find you are going to be on holiday on the day of the election and want to arrange to vote by post or appoint someone (a proxy) to vote on your behalf.
2. What if I don't get a poll card?
You do not need a poll card in order to vote. If you know the date, time and place you can simply go to the polling station and ask for your ballot paper (see question 3). If you would prefer to check that all is in order, you can telephone the election helplines (01732 227243 or 01732 227188) in case there is a reason why you have not received a poll card - it may be for example that you have moved recently and need to make other arrangements to vote.
3. What happens in the polling station?
Once inside the polling station you will present yourself to one of the polling staff who will ask you to confirm your name and address. It is helpful if you take your poll card, which has all your details on it, with you. You will then be given your ballot paper - or papers if there are two or more elections being held on the same day - and invited to go to a "booth" where you can mark your "X" in secret and in your own time. Instructions on how to mark your paper are displayed in the polling booth or you can ask any of the polling staff if you are unsure what to do.
4. Who are the people wearing rosettes outside the polling station?
These are helpers of the political parties, called "tellers". On your way out of the polling station they may ask you for your electoral number. Tellers are not election officials and it is up to you whether or not you give them any information. If you do so, however, you may save yourself a knock on the door later in the day from a party worker encouraging you to go to vote. A teller will be happy to accept your poll card to confirm your details so if you took this with you to the polling station it is perfectly in order, if you wish to do so, to give it to the teller as you leave.
5. I want to vote by post - how does it work?
The most important thing is to apply in good time. There is a deadline (11 working days before polling day)after which applications cannot be accepted and the sooner you apply the sooner a ballot paper can be sent to you. Simply contact us at elreg@sevenoaks.gov.uk or call us on 01732 227188 or 01732 227243 for an application form. Once your application is approved and about ten days before polling day you will receive an envelope containing a postal vote statement, two smaller envelopes marked "A" and "B" and a ballot paper. The postal vote statement has to be signed by the voter and must give the voter's date of birth. You mark your ballot paper as you wish and tuck it inside the "A" envelope without detaching the postal vote statement. Seal the "A" envelope, place it inside the envelope marked "B" (which is pre-addressed to the returning officer) and pop it in the post box in good time for it to reach the Council Offices by the close of poll on election day. That's all there is to it. Ballot papers will be sent to your home address unless you give a reason on your application form for it to be sent to an alternative address. But remember, if postal votes are sent abroad they must still be with the Returning Officer by 10pm on election day.
Due to a change in the law you are now required to provide your signature and date of birth on your postal vote or proxy vote application form. The law requires us to maintain these details electronically so that they may be compared with the date of birth and signature you will provide with your postal or proxy vote.
Frequently asked questions - The Register of Electors
6. What is the 'Edited Register'?
The 'edited' register is separate from the voting register but is compiled from the details given on the voter registration form. It is sold to commercial companies and used for marketing purposes - what you may consider to be 'junk mail'. If you do NOT want your details used in this way, you can tick the box in section 4 of the voter registration form. Please read the notes on the form regarding the full and edited registers.
7. Why am I getting a voter registration form sent to my address every September?
The law requires us to conduct an annual audit of every property in the Sevenoaks District to see who (of voting age) is resident at the property and to ensure they are registered to vote. There is also a requirement in law for you to return the form to us or use the online registration service or freephone registration service which we put in place for you during the months of September to November (inclusive). The revised register of electors is then published on December 1st of every year. For further information on the annual audit see our annual audit of electors page which is available during the autumn only.
8. I've moved into my new property in the Sevenoaks District and can't wait until the annual audit to register to vote - what shall I do?
Don't worry, during the year (outside of the audit period) we have a monthly registration system so you can appear on the register of electors on or near the first of every month. Simply download a Voter registration form ( PDF File 44KB file details) print out, fill in, sign and return to us. We work to legal monthly deadlines for additions to the register. Below is a chart that explains how this works.
| If we get your form before... | Your details will be added/changed on... |
| 11th December 2008 | 2nd January 2009 |
| 9th January 2009 | 2nd February 2009 |
| 6th February 2009 | 2nd March 2009 |
| 10th March 2009 | 1st April 2009 |
| 7th April 2009 | 1st May 2009 |
| 19th May 2009 | 28th May 2009 |
| 9th June 2009 | 1st July 2009 |
| 10th July 2009 | 3rd August 2009 |
| 10th August 2009 | 1st September 2009 |
9. I'm registered for council tax. Why do I have to register with Electoral Services too?
The register of electors is for voting purposes and includes names of every person in the household entitled to vote - the council tax register does not require all these details. The full register of electors is also used as an address check by credit reference agencies. Failure to register with Electoral Services may affect any credit applications you make.
10. How do I know if I'm already registered?
Simply give us a call (01732 227188 & 01732 227243) and we will confirm this either way. Remember that during the annual audit of electors (September to November) if you are already registered you are still required by law to register a 'no-change of details' with us. If you believe you are on the register and credit companies or mortgage lenders are telling you that you are not then tell the company in question to call us and we can confirm whether you are on the register.
11. I'm living overseas - can I still register to vote?
Yes you may still register to vote, however as you are an overseas elector you will only be eligible to vote at UK and European Parliamentary elections. Simply contact us on elreg@sevenoaks.gov.uk for an application form. Fill in the form, sign and return to us. An overseas registration is has to be renewed annually. Once registered we will send you a new form every year asking you to re-new your registration for a further twelve months. This process last for 15 years. If you are applying for the first time you must also include a declaration in support of your application by someone who is not related to you, not living in Britain and is a British passport holder. N.B. If you are a member of the armed forces or you are a Crown Servant/British Council employee, see Q12.
12. I am living overseas but this is because I am a member of the armed forces or because I am a Crown Servant/British Council employee - how do I apply?
For members of the armed forces and for Crown Servants or British Council employees please contact us on elreg@sevenoaks.gov.uk for an application form. In both cases please fill in, sign and return to us. Note that Crown Servants and British Council employees must submit their declaration via the relevant government department or British Council office. In both cases spouses and civil partners may also apply in the same way.
British, Irish, Hong Kong, European Union and qualifying Commonwealth citizens who are over 18 and resident in the UK. Member countries of the European Union are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and UK. Citizens of these European Union countries are not eligible to vote at UK parliamentary elections except citizens of UK and Ireland (who have full voting rights) and of Cyprus and Malta who have full voting rights by virtue of these countries being part of the Commonwealth. Otherwise European Union citizens will be registered as local government electors only. You can find a full list of Commonwealth countries on The Commonwealth Secretariat website (Zimbabwean nationals are still entitled to register to vote).
On 1st January 2007 Bulgaria and Romania joined the European Union. Citizens of those countries now have European Union voting rights in the UK and can register to vote provided they reside in the UK and are over 18.
14. I want to appoint someone as my proxy voter - what do I do?
There are three grounds for which you can appoint someone as your proxy voter:
You can contact us on elreg@sevenoaks.gov.uk for the relevant application form.
Due to a change in the law you are now required to provide your signature and date of birth on your postal vote or proxy vote application form. The law requires us to maintain these details electronically so that they may be compared with the date of birth and signature you will provide with your postal or proxy vote.
15. My son/daughter is 16/17 - should I include his/her name on the electoral register?
YES - all 16 and 17 year olds must be included on the register. They may vote as soon as they reach their 18th birthday. Please don't disappoint them by forgetting to register them.
16. Why do I have to tell you if I am over 70?
This relates to jury service. The law requires us to compile a register of those who are eligible to sit on a jury. People aged 70 and over cannot sit on a jury. Those who may not be able to sit on a jury for other reasons will be able to say so if they receive a jury summons.
17. My husband/wife/parent has moved permanently into a nursing home - what should I do?
Nursing and residential homes register their residents directly with us. As soon as we receive the voter registration form we will register your husband/wife/parent at the nursing home and if relevant remove them from their previous address.
18. My son/daughter is at/will be going to university this year - should they register at their home address?
YES - as students tend to move often it is probably safer to include their names on the register for their home address. Students may register at both a home and a college address but may only vote once at the same election (e.g. a general election that covers the whole country).
19. I've changed my name - what shall I do?
Simply download an amendment to voter registration form, fill in, sign and return to us.
20. What electoral wards apply to my property?
You can find out what polling district (determines where you vote), parish/parish ward (for election of parish councillors), district ward (for election of district councillors), electoral division (for election of county councillors) and constituency (for election of local MP) apply to your property. Firstly download the Street index ( PDF File 172KB file details) for the Sevenoaks District. Look up your street alphabetically and write down the two polling district letters; for example Albion Way, Edenbridge is 'AO'. Then download the table of electoral areas ( PDF File 41KB file details), find for example 'AO' under polling district and this will then give you all the electoral areas that are appropriate. If you require a paper copy of the Sevenoaks District street index contact us on elreg@sevenoaks.gov.uk and we can supply one at a charge of £20. The whole of the Sevenoaks District lies within the South East Region for European Parliamentary elections.
This is an important way you can make your voice heard on issues that concern you. Every day decisions are made on your behalf by your parish councillors, your district councillors, your county councillors, your MP and MEPs on a wide variety of local and national issues. Don't lose your right to vote - register your name on the register of electors.
Contact the Electoral Services team:
Email: elreg@sevenoaks.gov.uk
Phone 01732 227188 / 01732 227243
Address:
Electoral Services
Sevenoaks District Council
Council Offices
Argyle Road
Sevenoaks
Kent
TN13 1HG
Directgov is a government website that has useful information on aspects of the electoral process.
aboutmyvote.co.uk is an invaluable resource designed by the Electoral Commission. It contains detailed information relating to all levels of election, registering to vote, how to vote and you can even enter your postcode and find out what elections are due in your area.
The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by UK Parliament. Find out about their aims to foster public confidence and participation in the democratic process in the UK.
The Boundary Committee for England
Find out about the Boundary Committee's aims to ensure equal representation of councillors in electoral areas. Also you can download maps detailing Sevenoaks District ward boundaries, parish ward boundaries and even a Kent map indicating electoral boundaries across Kent.
