Get ready for the mayoral election on 1 May

Get ready for the mayoral election on 1 May

Residents across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are being encouraged to get ready to vote in the mayoral election due to take place on Thursday 1 May.

The mayor leads the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority which brings together the local authorities across the county.

They are responsible for delivering economic prosperity across the region, particularly in relation to housing, travel, employment skills and environmental improvements.

The Mayoral Combined Authority also has access to large investment funds which can be used to:

• grow the local economy
• provide new housing
• improve public services.

Voters across the county will go to the polls to vote for the new mayor on Thursday 1 May.

Cambridgeshire County Council elections, along with other local elections, are also taking place on the same day.

Most people eligible to vote choose to vote in person at a polling station. Your nearest polling station will be on your Polling Card which is posted through your door.

Government legislation means all voters must now take with them an acceptable form of ID when voting at polling stations.

Without it, potential voters risk not having their say in the four-yearly vote to elect a new Mayor for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. A full list of accepted ID is available on the Electoral Commission’s website. Anyone without an acceptable form of voter ID has until 23 April for apply for a voter authority certificate via the government’s portal at https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate. You will need to upload a facial photo of yourself to complete your application. The deadline for this is 5pm on 23 April 2025.

If you are unable to attend the polling station in person you can opt to vote by post or appoint a proxy voter to make a vote on your behalf. You can find out more about this on the www.chooseyourmayor.org website.

The results will be announced on Friday 2 May from the Ross Peers Sports Centre in Soham by John Hill, the Combined Area Returning Officer (CARO) for Cambridgeshire.

John, who is also the Chief Executive of East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “It’s incredibly important that voters understand what the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough does and why it is important for them to turn out to vote on 1 May.

“To help provide more detail a dedicated Choose Your Mayor website has been set up. This includes more information about what the mayor does and how to vote.

“As part of our legal obligations, a leaflet about the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mayoral election is being sent to everyone registered to vote across the county. As well as information about how to vote, the leaflet includes an address from each of the five candidates that have put themselves forward for election.

“It’s hoped that this information will help voters to feel more confident about the process, and to feel more informed when making their votes.”

The candidates

The following candidates are nominated for these elections:

• Paul Bristow, The Conservative Party Candidate
• Ryan Coogan, Reform UK
• Lorna Dupre, Liberal Democrat
• Bob Ensch, Green Party candidate
• Anna Smith, Labour and Co-operative Party

For more information visit www.chooseyourmayor.org

The election timetable – key dates

Last day to apply for a postal vote                               Monday 14 April

Last day to apply for a proxy vote                     Wednesday 23 April

Last day to apply for free voter ID                     Wednesday 23 April

Polling day                                                        Thursday 1 May

Results announced                                           Friday 2 May

The voting process

Polling stations across the county will be open between 7am and 10pm on Thursday 1 May. A list of polling stations for each city/district can be found using the following links:

• Cambridge City Council: https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/find-your-polling-station
• East Cambridgeshire District Council: https://www.eastcambs.gov.uk/polling-stations/search
• Fenland District Council: https://www.fenland.gov.uk/elections
• Huntingdonshire District Council: https://www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/elections/how-to-vote/#station
• Peterborough City Council: https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/council/about-peterborough/maps-of-peterborough
• South Cambridgeshire District Council: https://wheredoivote.co.uk/

 

Voters will be required to show an accepted form of Voter ID in order to vote in person at the polling station.

A list of accepted ID and further information is available at: Voter ID | How to vote | East Cambridgeshire District Council

If a voter has appointed a proxy or emergency proxy to vote on their behalf, the proxy must bring a copy of their own photographic ID to the polling station. More information is available on the Voter ID pages on the Electoral Commission’s website.

Following the close of poll on Thursday 1 May 2025 at 10pm, verification of ballot boxes will take place at locations in each city/district council area.

 

The counting of the votes takes place from 9.30am the following day (Friday 2 May) at count venues across the region.

 

Once the count has been completed at all decentralised count venues, the declaration of the Mayor for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will be made by the CARO at Ross Peers Sports Centre, Soham, Cambridgeshire.

 

Candidates will be invited onto the stage to make a short speech following the declaration, starting with the winning candidate.

 

Email: caro@eastcambs.gov.uk.

X @EastCambs