THE LOCAL elections are taking place on Thursday, 6 May.

And Dorset councils have put in place a number of safety measures to ensure both the voting and the counts are Covid safe. 

READ MORE: Bournemouth's local elections and how they could affect you

READ MORE: BCP election candidates are confirmed

In Dorset, elections are taking place for the Police and Crime Commissioner. There will also be several town/parish council by-elections and neighbourhood plan referendums.

Jonathan Mair, Corporate Director, Legal & Democratic, Dorset Council said: “I want to give every reassurance that our polling stations will be safe places for voters to cast their vote on 6 May. All venues will be COVID-safe, with the measures applied that we’ve all become used to in our supermarkets and banks over the past year.

“Our staff have been working hard to achieve this and look forward to meeting local voters on 6 May.”

Measures to ensure the voting experience is safe include:

  • social distancing (inside and outside venues)
  • limits on the number of people inside polling stations
  • maximum ventilation of polling stations
  • hand sanitiser
  • regular cleaning

Bournemouth Echo:

BCP Election count at The BIC , Bournemouth.

Voters will be required to follow the signage and any instructions at their polling station.

Voters are also being encouraged to bring their own pens/pencils. However, they will be provided for anyone who does not bring their own.

Face coverings are required inside the polling station (unless exempt) and election staff will also be wearing face coverings.

If you need support completing the ballot

If anyone needs support to complete a ballot paper, they can take someone with them to help, for example a carer or support worker. 

The person helping must either be a close relative or someone eligible to vote in that election and they must not already have helped more than one other person to vote at the same election. 

Alternatively, the member of staff in charge of the polling station can help.

If you can't get to the polling station

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19, or displays symptoms, should self-isolate and not visit a polling station.

Emergency proxy voting will be available for any voters who are self-isolating, or shielding, on the day of the elections. They will be able to appoint someone else to vote on their behalf up to 5pm on polling day.

Where to vote
Polling station details are provided on poll cards posted to registered voters. Anyone registered to vote who does not have their poll card can provide their name and address at their polling station. See polling stations at www.wheredoivote.co.uk

Election counts
For the Dorset Council area, the verification of the PCC votes and of the town and parish by-elections and neighbourhood plan referendum votes will take place at the Redlands Community Sports Hub, Weymouth. This will start on Thursday 6 May just after 10pm.

In line with all elections, access to the verification and count is restricted to elections staff, candidates and agents and their appointed staff.

Once all the votes have been counted, the PCC results will be passed to BCP Council.  BCP Council will declare the result of the PCC election.