Essex residents put together to go to the polls

Residents are being reminded to forged their vote within the Essex County Council elections being held on Thursday 7 May 2026.

A document 428 candidates are operating for election to Essex County Council in 2026. It marks an nearly 25% enhance from the 350 who stood within the earlier elections in 2021.

Polling stations might be open from 7am to 10pm, supplying you with loads of time all through the day to forged your vote. 

You ought to attend the polling station listed in your polling card, although you’ll be able to nonetheless vote and not using a polling card.

Voter ID is required at polling stations. You ought to test now whether or not you could have an accepted type of ID.

Polling stations are designed to be accessible and welcoming to all. Staff might be readily available to offer help and guarantee you’ll be able to forged your poll independently and in secret.

Support is obtainable for anybody who wants it, together with:

• help from skilled polling station employees
• the choice to convey a companion over the age of 18 to assist full the poll
• accessibility tools comparable to tactile voting units, massive print poll papers and seating the place doable

If you could have particular accessibility necessities, communicate to employees on arrival who will do their finest to accommodate particular person wants.

Essex residents might be selecting the councillor who will stand for his or her native division and communicate up for his or her group’s priorities.

The council handles main companies which have an effect on on a regular basis life. These embody however should not restricted to:

• training
• setting
• highways
• libraries
• public well being
• social care
• transport
• waste and recycling
• youth companies

The variety of seats on the council will rise from 75 to 78 in 2026. It follows a evaluation by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE).

This is along with new division boundaries and the abolition of two-member divisions. This means every division might be represented by one councillor.  

More details about the elections, tips on how to vote and what to anticipate could be discovered on our web site. 

Joanna Boaler, Assistant Director: Democracy & Transparency, mentioned: “On 7 May 2026 voters across Essex will be able to vote for the people who make decisions about important local services. I encourage everyone to go to their local polling station and make sure they have their say.”