Local council elections 7 May 2026
The last day to apply to register to vote in the local council elections is Monday 20 April 2026.
The deadline for the receipt of new postal vote and postal proxy applications, and for changes to or cancellations of existing postal or proxy votes, is Tuesday 21 April 2026 at 5pm.
The deadline for the receipt of new proxy vote applications is Tuesday 28 April 2026 at 5pm.
Election events
We hold various electoral events such as:
- UK Parliamentary General elections
- Local Council elections
- Greater London Authority elections
- UK Referenda
- Local Referendums on neighbourhood planning
You must be on the electoral register to vote in elections and referenda.
How to register
If your name is not on the register, or you have moved to a new address within the borough or changed your personal detail, you will need to:
- register to vote on the GOV.UK website
- enter your name, address, and date of birth
- add your National Insurance number
If you do not have a National Insurance number, you can still register by sending proof of who you are (for example, a passport or driving licence) by email elections@ealing.gov.uk or by post to The Electoral Registration Officer, Ealing Council, Greenford Hall, Ruislip Road, Greenford UB6 9QN.
If you cannot register online, ask for a form to be sent to you by calling 020 8825 7777 or email elections@ealing.gov.uk
Who can register
Age
- you must be 16 or older to join the electoral register but you only vote from 18
- if you are 17 and will turn 18 soon, register now so you are ready for your first election
Citizenship
- British or Irish citizen
- Commonwealth citizen (this includes Malta and Cyprus) and you are allowed to live in the UK
- Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal or Spain and you are allowed to live in the UK
- EU citizen and you were allowed to live in the UK on or before 31 December 2020, and you have stayed here since then
Once you are registered to vote, you stay registered. You only need to register again if you move to a new home or if you are not allowed to vote anymore.
You can only sign up to vote at the place where you live. If you do not live at an address, you cannot sign up there - even if you own the house or pay council tax for it.
If you have two homes and spend the same amount of time at both, you might be able to sign up at both places but can only vote once in the same election. Ask the electoral services office to help you.
Students can register at both their home and term-time address but can only vote once in the same election.