Today (6th May) is Local Election day. In Bishopstoke, there are elections for Hampshire County Council, Eastleigh Borough Council and Bishopstoke Parish Council. In Fair Oak, it’s the same apart from no parish council elections.
Not every ward in Bishopstoke has Parish Council elections as some wards did not have more candidates than places.
Before you go
The polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm tonight. To find out which one to go to, take a look at your poll card. There’s a list at the end of this post listing all the stations in Bishopstoke and north Fair Oak.
But if you can’t find your poll card, don’t worry – you don’t need it to vote. You do not need to take any form of identification either. Do remember to take a face covering and a pen or pencil!
At the polling station
When you get to the polling station, you will be greeted by a member of staff who is ensuring that numbers inside stay at safe levels and that the queue (if there is one) has social distancing. You will be encouraged to put on your face covering and use hand sanitiser as you go in. The layout inside is likely to be different to usual and booths are being sanitised regularly. The Council’s website has more information.
The staff at the polling station have had additional training so that voting can be as safe as possible as well as adhering to all the electoral rules. Please remember that they are working a very long day in difficult circumstances.
If you have a postal vote and have not yet posted it, you can drop it off at a polling station.
You should not have been offered a lift to the polling station by a political party or campaigner. This follows advice from the Council with regards to covid19. If you are unwell, call the council on 023 80 688000 to see if you can have a proxy vote.
If you are self isolating, would like to vote and do not have a postal vote or proxy vote set up, call the Council as soon as you can on 023 80 688000 to arrange an emergency proxy vote. This is also the number to call if your postal voting papers have not arrived.
On your way out of the polling station, you should not be asked for your voter number by a political campaigner (“telling”). Again, this follows advice from the Council with regards to covid19.
All Bishopstoke and Fair Oak independent group candidates are committed to safe campaigning – find out more about our pledge here.
The count
The count is also taking place in a different way this year. Results for Hampshire County Council are expected to be announced on Friday 7th May in the afternoon. Results for Eastleigh Borough Council and Bishopstoke Parish Council are expected to be announced on Saturday 8th May.
Please use your vote. It matters, it counts and it can make a difference.
Polling Stations in Bishopstoke and north Fair Oak
- BI1: Bishopstoke Community Association Community Centre, Church Road, SO50 6DJ
- BI2: Memorial Hall, Riverside, Bishopstoke SO50 6LQ
- BI3: Bishopstoke Methodist Church, Sedgwick Road, Bishopstoke SO50 6FH
- BI4: St. Paul`s Church Hall, Fair Oak Road, Bishopstoke SO50 8LQ
- BI5: St. Paul`s Church Hall, Fair Oak Road, Bishopstoke SO50 8LQ
- BI6: Village Hall, Shorts Road, Fair Oak SO50 7EJ
- FA1: Village Hall, Shorts Road, Fair Oak SO50 7EJ
- FA2: Village Hall, Shorts Road, Fair Oak SO50 7EJ
Promoted by and on behalf of: Louise Anne Parker-Jones, Gin Tidridge, Ray Dean, Dave Francis, Louise Hillier-Wheal, Anne Dean, Susan Lynch and Ralph Candy. Postal Address: Bishopstoke Independents, The IncuHive Space, Mayflower Close, Chandler’s Ford Industrial Estate, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO53 4AR.