Although Covid-19 restrictions are still in place, you can still exercise your right to vote next week.

In the Dorset Council area, elections are taking place for the Police and Crime Commissioner. There will also be several town/parish council by-elections and neighbourhood plan referendums.

Measures to ensure the voting experience is safe include: social distancing (inside and outside venues), limits on the number of people inside polling stations, maximum ventilation of polling stations, hand sanitiser and regular cleaning

Voters are encouraged to bring their own pens/pencils. However, they will be provided for anyone who does not bring their own.

Face coverings are required inside the polling station (unless exempt). Elections staff will also be wearing face coverings.

If anyone needs support to complete a ballot paper, they can take someone with them to help, for example a carer or support worker. The person helping must either be a close relative or someone eligible to vote in that election and they must not already have helped more than one other person to vote at the same election.  Alternatively, the member of staff in charge of the polling station can help.

Jonathan Mair, corporate director Legal and Democratic, Dorset Council said: “I want to give every reassurance that our polling stations will be safe places for voters to cast their vote on 6 May. All venues will be COVID-safe, with the measures applied that we’ve all become used to in our supermarkets and banks over the past year.

“Our staff have been working hard to achieve this and look forward to meeting local voters on 6 May.”

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19, or displays symptoms, should self-isolate and not visit a polling station.

Emergency proxy voting will be available for any voters who are self-isolating, or shielding, on the day of the elections. They will be able to appoint someone else to vote on their behalf up to 5pm on polling day.