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Sutton Central Ward By-Election - Thursday, 10 April 2025

Standing as a Candidate

In order to stand as a candidate at the above election you must complete a nomination paper and submit your nomination paper by 4pm, Friday, 14th March 2025. 

View the nomination form along with the Electoral Commission guidance for candidates.

For further advice please email Martha Matheou, Head of Electoral Services at martha.matheou@sutton.gov.uk

When you become a Candidate or Agent

All validly nominated candidates will be invited to attend the candidates and agents meeting after the close of nominations.

Who can vote?

To vote in these elections you must be:

  • aged 18 or over on polling day

  • British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizens

  • EU citizens from Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain who is resident in the UK, has permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or who does not need permission

  • EU citizens from any other EU country who on or before 31 December 2020 was legally resident in the UK, had permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or who did not need permission, and this has continued without a break

  • EU member states, citizens of Cyprus, Malta and Ireland are eligible to be registered to vote in all elections held in the UK.registered to vote

Find out more about who is eligible to register to vote.

How to Register

If you are not yet registered or have just moved, the quickest way is to register to vote online. The deadline to vote at the above election is midnight on Tuesday, 25 March 2025 (you will need your national insurance number, it takes 5 minutes to complete). If you cannot complete the form online, you can request a paper copy from electoral.services@sutton.gov.uk or telephone our helpline: 020 8770 4179.

You do not need to re-register if you are already registered to vote at your current address, you will receive a poll card with information about where to vote

How you can vote

You can choose to vote:

  • at your local polling station

  • by post

  • appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf (if you have a reason why you cannot attend your polling station)

Voting at a polling station

Sutton Central Ward has 3 polling districts, and 3 polling places. You will be allocated to a specific polling station and can only vote at that station (unless you have organised to vote by post). Find your polling Station in Sutton.

Nominated proxies must vote at the allocated polling station for the voter they are acting as proxy for. If your proxy is voting at your polling station they will need to bring their own photo ID to vote.

Poll cards (in the form of a letter) will be sent to all registered voters at the end of March with information about the location of their polling station.  

Find your Polling Station - enter your postcode to search. Polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm on Thursday, 10 April. 

On the day of the election, go to the polling station shown on the card, give your address, and name, and show acceptable voter ID to be issued your ballot paper. 

There will be information in the polling station to help you, and our staff will be available to support you. You do not need your poll card to vote; it is for your information only, but you do have to be a registered elector.

I don’t have an acceptable voter ID - what can I do?

If you want to vote at your polling station, you can apply online for a free Voter Authority Certificate by 5pm on Wednesday, 2 April.  If you are unable to complete the online application, you can request a paper application, or contact our helpline: 020 8770 4179 for more information.

Or you can apply online to vote by post or can apply online to vote by proxy for a particular election if that is easier for you.

Voting by post

The deadline for these elections to register for a postal vote, or to change or cancel an existing postal vote is 5pm Wednesday, 26th March 2025.

I want to vote by post, what do I need to do?

You can apply online to vote by post.  The last day to apply to vote by post or to change or cancel an existing postal vote is 5pm Wednesday, 26th March 2025.

Postal voting packs will be sent 1st class on Tuesday, 25th March 2025 and sent with Royal Mail. Postal voting packs must be returned to us by the close of the poll - 10pm on Thursday, 10th April 2025.  

Important changes regarding hand-delivering postal votes

The law has changed and you now must complete a form if you hand deliver your postal ballot papers to the Civic Offices. Voters can hand in their postal ballot papers from 9am-5pm in normal office hours, or at any polling station in the borough before 10pm on Thursday 10th April 2025. There is a limit to the number of postal votes someone can hand deliver. You can hand in your own postal vote and postal votes for up to 5 other voters. A political campaigner can only hand in their postal vote plus the votes of up to 5 family members or people for whom they provide regular care.

When voters hand-deliver postal votes they MUST complete a form to be attached to the postal vote. Staff at the Civic Offices or at the polling station will provide you with this form. Please allow extra time to do this when hand-delivering postal votes. If the person who hand delivers a postal vote(s) does not complete a form to accompany postal vote(s) - the postal vote packs will be rejected.

I want to vote by proxy, what do I need to do?

You can appoint someone to go to your polling station on Election Day to vote on your behalf.  This is known as a Proxy.  The proxy you appoint must be eligible to vote in a local election and must be registered to vote with their local authority.  They must show their own voter ID when voting at the polling station.  You can apply online to vote by proxy for a particular election.

You can download and complete paper application forms if you require a permanent proxy due to disability, employment or education. You cannot apply online for these applications currently.

The last day to apply to vote by proxy is by 5pm on Wednesday, 2nd April 2025.

If your proxy cannot go to your polling station - they can apply to vote by post as a proxy.  The proxy would need to download and print a postal proxy application form. They can return the application either by post (the return address is shown on the application form) or by scan and email.  The last day a proxy can apply to vote by post as a proxy is by 5pm, Wednesday 26th March 2025.

I can’t go to the polling station due to a medical/occupational emergency

If you are unable to go to the polling station due to your employment, a medical emergency, or you do not have an acceptable form of Voter ID (and it is too late to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate), you can apply to vote by emergency proxy.  The deadline to apply for an emergency proxy is by 5pm on Thursday, 10th April 2025.

Contact our helpline on 020 8770 4179 for further information. 

I vote by post and haven’t received my postal ballot paper - what do I do?

If you are a postal voter and you have not received your ballot papers or you have spoilt your postal pack you can apply for a replacement.  We are not able to re-issue your ballot papers until Friday, 4th April 2025.

Please note:

  • If you do not receive your postal pack by Friday, 4th April, you must make contact with the office so you can be issued with a replacement postal pack.

  • The deadline to apply for a replacement ballot paper pack is by 5pm Thursday, 10th April 2025.

Contact our helpline on 020 8770 4179 for further advice.

I vote by post and I have spoilt my paper – what do I do?

If you are a postal voter you have spoilt your postal pack you can apply for a replacement. Contact our helpline on 020 8770 4179

  • If you spoil your papers – you must bring the old pack with you for us to replace it, DO NOT throw it away.  You will also need to bring a photo ID with you.

  • The deadline to apply for a replacement ballot paper pack is by 5pm Thursday, 10 April 2025.

Where can I view the notices and candidate information for this election?

All Notices will appear here when they are due to be published.

Notice of Election

Statement of persons nominated: (TBC)

Notice of election agents for: (TBC)

Notice of poll and situation of polling stations: (TBC)

Where can I view the results?

The count will take place on Thursday, 10th April 2025. 

Results will be made available following the declaration of the result.

How do I contact Electoral Services?

We are available and here to help.

  • Helpline: 020 8770 4179

  • Email: electoral.services@sutton.gov.uk

  • Office Address: Electoral Services Office, Civic Offices, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, SM1 1EA - (appointment only)