You can’t have missed the news that tomorrow (Thursday, 7 May), hotly-contested local elections are taking place up and down the country.
In addition, voters in Scotland and Wales will head to the polls to elect representatives to their national parliaments.
However, alongside the majority of other unitary authorities, Bedford Borough Council has ‘whole council elections’ every four years, with the next ones taking place in 2027.
The last Bedford Borough Council elections were in 2023.
Read: Bedford Borough Council and Mayoral Elections 2023 results in full
This means that – rather than an anti-democratic conspiracy to prevent us from exercising our legal right to vote – all of our local councillors are up for election at the same time, alongside our Elected Mayor in a year’s time.
To add further confusion, this is in contrast to some other unitary authorities, like our neighbours in Milton Keynes, or some ‘district councils’ that have a third of their councillors elected each year for a four-year term, except in the ‘county council’ election year for districts.
Speaking to the Bedford Independent in 2022, Laura Church, chief executive of Bedford Borough Council, said: “It is never too early to get ready [for the elections].
“If you have recently moved, you can register to vote. This means you will be on the electoral roll at your new address, so you will receive a polling card, which will remind you to vote and where your local polling station is as this may also have changed from the last election.
“Registering to vote is really important; it means you can vote in your local and national elections, and make your voice heard.
“You can register to vote at gov.uk/register-to-vote or via the Council’s website.”
