With only five weeks to go before the Cornwall Council, Truro City, town and parish council elections on May 1, here’s everything you need to know about the first local government vote in the Duchy for four years.
This is the first chance Cornish voters have had to make a political choice since last July’s General Election when they turned the tables on the Tories and voted in four Labour MPs and two Lib Dems.
Could there be a similar upset for the governing Conservative administration at Cornwall Council, which recently lost its majority?
Representing the 87 divisions across Cornwall, there are currently 42 Conservative or Independent Conservative Aligned councillors sitting at Lys Kernow (County Hall) in Truro, 16 Independents, 13 Liberal Democrats, five Mebyon Kernow, five Labour, one Green, one Reform, three Non Aligned and one Unaffiliated.
Timetable
- Notices of Election published – Friday, March 14
- Nomination period begins – 9am on Monday, March 17
- Deadline for delivery of candidate’s nomination papers – 4pm on Wednesday, April 2
- Deadline for withdrawal by candidates – 4pm on Wednesday, April 2
- Deadline for appointment of election agents – 4pm on Wednesday, April 2
- Publication of statement of persons nominated – 4pm on Thursday, April 3
- Deadline to register to vote (if you’re not already registered) – Friday, April 11
- Deadline to apply to vote by post. Also to change or cancel an existing postal vote or proxy vote – 5pm on Monday, April 14
- Publication of notice of poll – Wednesday, April 23
- Deadline to apply for Voter Authority Certificate – 5pm on Wednesday, April 23
- Deadline to apply to vote by proxy – 5pm on Wednesday, April 23
- Deadline for appointment of polling and counting agents – Thursday, April 24
- Polling day – 7am to 10pm on Thursday, May 1
- Deadline to apply to vote by proxy on grounds of unforeseen illness, incapacity, occupation, service or employment – 5pm on Thursday, May 1
Are you registered to vote?
Research shows that young people, students and those who have recently moved are less likely to be registered than others. The deadline to register to vote is midnight on Friday, April 11. Voters can apply online at gov.uk/register-to-vote. It takes just five minutes.
Once registered, voters have a range of options – they can vote in person, by post or by appointing someone they trust to vote in their place, known as a proxy vote. Voters going to a polling station will need to show photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence. To find out which ID you can use in the polling station, visit the Electoral Commission website https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/voter-id
If you do not have one of the accepted types of ID, you can apply for free ID at www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate or by completing and submitting a paper form to your local authority.
Kate Kennally, chief executive of Cornwall Council and Returning Officer for Cornwall, said: “Don’t lose your chance to have your say in the Cornwall Council and town and parish council elections in May. Local elections are an important opportunity to have your say on who represents you and makes decisions about issues that directly affect day-to-day life here in Cornwall.
“If you’re in doubt about whether you need to register to vote, or have questions about how to apply for a postal or proxy vote, or free ID, you can contact Cornwall Council’s elections team on 01872 324 196 or email voter-registration@cornwall.gov.uk”
Guidance for candidates and agents
Cornwall Council will be holding an online briefing for candidates and agents on Wednesday, March 12 at 5pm via Teams: https://teams.microsoft.com/dl/launcher/launcher.html?url=%2F_%23%2Fl%2Fmeetup-join%2F19%3Ameeting_NDgxOWI1OWQtZWUwNi00YWQ2LWE4MmEtNDFjYzg3OWFlODk0%40thread.v2%2F0%3Fcontext%3D%257b%2522Tid%2522%253a%2522efaa16aa-d1de-4d58-ba2e-2833fdfdd29f%2522%252c%2522Oid%2522%253a%252274a5ec3c-bee3-4e61-94f2-931b140888f5%2522%257d%26anon%3Dtrue&type=meetup-join&deeplinkId=3e1ef23f-a422-4156-9a2f-b6839c3634b7&directDl=true&msLaunch=true&enableMobilePage=true&suppressPrompt=true
Information on the role of a Cornwall councillor is available on the local authority’s Be A Councillor page: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/the-council-and-democracy/councillors-and-meetings/be-a-councillor/
Criteria to be a candidate
To stand as a candidate at these elections, it is your responsibility to ensure that you that you are qualified to stand and are not disqualified. To ensure you are eligible to stand, please check the Electoral Commission website via the following links:
Cornwall Council Elections – qualifications and disqualifications for standing for election https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-candidates-and-agents-local-government-elections-england/what-you-need-know-you-stand-a-candidate/qualifications-and-disqualifications-standing-election
Parish and Town Council Elections – qualifications and disqualifications for standing for election https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-candidates-parish-council-elections-england/what-you-need-know-you-stand-a-candidate/qualifications-and-disqualifications-standing-election
For more details, including a breakdown of town and parish seats, division maps and polling stations head to the Cornwall Council website: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/the-council-and-democracy/elections/elections-and-referendums/2025-cornwall-council-and-parish-and-town-council-elections-1-may-2025/
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