On Thursday 5 May, Wokingham Borough residents will go to the polls in the local elections to have their say on who represents them on Wokingham Borough Council.

In order to vote, residents must be on the electoral register. With the deadline to register fast approaching, Wokingham Borough Council is urging people who are not registered at their current address to make sure they are registered in time.

The deadline to register to vote is midnight on Thursday 14 April. It takes just five minutes to apply online.

There are several ways to have your say – you can vote in person at a polling station, by post and by appointing someone you trust to vote on your behalf, which is known as a proxy vote.

The deadline to apply for a new postal or postal proxy vote – along with any changes to existing postal or proxy votes – is 5pm on Tuesday 19 April. The last day to apply for a proxy vote is Tuesday 26 April at 5pm. It’s easy to apply and you can find out how by visiting the council’s election webpages.

On polling day, residents will be able to vote from 7am to 10pm and the count will be conducted at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre in Earley on Friday 6 May.

Andrew Moulton, electoral registration officer for Wokingham Borough Council, said: “Time is running out to make sure you can take part in these elections. They are an important opportunity to make your voice heard and have a say on who represents you on issues that directly affect day-to-day life here in Wokingham Borough. If you’re not registered by 14 April, you won’t be able to vote.”

This year, borough council elections are scheduled in: Arborfield; Bulmershe and Whitegates; Coronation; Emmbrook; Evendons; Finchampstead North; Finchampstead South; Hawkedon; Hillside; Loddon; Maiden Erlegh; Norreys; Remenham, Wargrave and Ruscombe; Shinfield South; South Lake; Swallowfield; Winnersh; and Wokingham Without.

There will also be parish council elections for Arborfield & Newland, Swallowfield, Remenham and Wargrave.

If you have any questions about registering to vote, or applying for a postal vote, email the electoral services team at: electoralservices@wokingham.gov.uk