Bring your own pen: England’s local elections to go ahead in May
England will go ahead with local elections on 6 May despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the government confirmed on Friday.
A range of additional measures will be put in place to safeguard voters and make the process more flexible.
The elections, which decide hundreds of local government positions across England, had been under review due to coronavirus restrictions.
Constitution Minister Chloe Smith said: “Democracy should not be cancelled because of Covid.”
Covid-secure measures
Special measures including more flexible rules on proxy voting and encouraging voters to bring their own pens will be urged by the government.
Masks will be compulsory alongside a range of protective gear such as divider screens and hand sanitiser.
An extra £31m will be made available to make polling stations Covid-secure.
Scotland and Wales
Elections in the devolved Scottish and Welsh parliaments are due to take place on the same day, but they are administered separately and not covered by Friday’s announcement.
Local elections usually give some indication about the public’s satisfaction with the current central government.
Specific local issues are also influential, meaning the results are often a mix of national and local sentiment.
Ministers will publish specific guidance on face-to-face campaigning after consulting political parties.