Elections
Notices of Elections 2023
Notices of Elections Agents Names for the 6th May 2021
Local Elections 2023
Nomination packs and guidance on the completion of nominations can be downloaded from the West Suffolk website
https://www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/Council/elections/vacancies-elections-results/elections/index.cfm
The notice of election will be published on 22 March and West Suffolk can start receiving nomination papers between 23 March and the deadline of 4pm on Tuesday 4 April 2023.
Nomination papers must be hand delivered to West Suffolk House in Bury St Edmunds between the hours of 9am and 5pm on any working day during the nomination period and they will be operating an appointment system to ensure that a Deputy Returning Officer is available to receive the nomination paper.
The process to book an appointment is simple. To book an appointment, just send an email to elections@westsuffolk.gov.uk with details of the preferred date and time and the area that nomination papers are being delivered for (i.e. the name of the parish/town) and we will confirm the appointment by email.
Between now and Wednesday 22 March, West Suffolk’s Elections Team will also be providing an informal checking service for nomination papers. The informal checks can be undertaken by scanning and emailing a copy of the completed nomination pack to elections@westsuffolk.gov.uk and helps to ensure that any issues or corrections required are resolved before the nomination papers are formally delivered by hand. They aim to respond to any of these requests by the end of the next working day.
Current vacancies and elections
West Suffolk Council has published information with everything you need to know about upcoming elections, how to vote, nomination packs for candidates and more. Visit their website here.
Registering to vote
Register online via the Government’s website. You will need your National Insurance number and your date of birth. This system verifies who you are via other sources to reduce the risk of fraud and inaccurate entries on the register. Please note that you now need a valid ID to vote.
Where to vote
Haverhill has six electoral wards, the same for both the Town Council and District Council.
The wards are:
Haverhill Central (incorporating the old Mount Road ward)
Haverhill East
Haverhill North
Haverhill South
Haverhill South East
Haverhill West
if you have registered to vote you will receive a voting card by post which details where you need to go to vote. You can also choose to vote by post before election day or nominate a proxy to vote on your behalf. Visit https://www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/Council/elections/howtovote.cfm for more information.
Stand for election
Haverhill Town Council is the parish council for Haverhill. Parish Councils are the closest form of local government to the people it represents. The role is entirely voluntary. The strongest councils are formed of people from a broad cross-section of the community, coming together with different viewpoints, but prepared to reach a consensus. Diversity is what makes the decisions we take more resilient and relevant to the people we represent, but working as a team towards consensus is essential, as people who refuse to listen to others’ viewpoints and won’t budge their position don’t make good councillors. If you are passionate about Haverhill, good at listening and working in a team, you could be a great councillor.
The more people who come forward, the better chance residents have of identifying with one or more councillors as the people representing them on the council. Women, people below the age of 40 and people from our black and ethnic minority communities are currently under-represented on the council.
https://www.nalc.gov.uk/our-work/local-elections gives more information about the role of local councillors
https://www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/Council/elections/how-to-become-a-councillor/election-process.cfmmore provides information about how to stand for election. Note that there are district and parish elections.
Turnout in the previous elections
While recent General Elections have seen turnout of at least 70%, other elections fall well short of that. Increasing turnout ensures elected representatives are held to account, and the final results better reflect the views of the people whose lives their decisions will impact.