Candidates Line Up for Police and Crime Commissioner Elections

The police and crime commissioner has responsibility for governing Lancashire Constabulary and holding its chief constable to account.

Three candidates are standing for election as the police and crime commissioner for Lancashire. They are:

• Neil Darby, Liberal Democrats
• Clive Grunshaw, Labour Party
• Andrew Snowden, Conservative Party

Voters are reminded of several changes in the forthcoming elections, including the system for voting for a police and crime commissioner, procedures for absent voting and the necessity for voter ID if voting in person.

Police and crime commissioner elections previously used the supplementary vote system, where voters could choose a first and second choice candidate.

Now you will choose a single candidate in the ‘first past the post’ system used in parliamentary and local elections.

Postal and proxy voters must also now apply online to vote and supply their national insurance number and a signature.

There is now a limit on the number of people proxy voters can vote on behalf of – up to two people living in the UK and two people registered as living overseas or on active service.

New postal or proxy vote applications can be made online at electoralcommission.org.uk.

If you can’t apply online, you can download the application form, complete it by hand and post it to Elections Team, Ribble Valley Borough Council, Council Offices, Church Walk, Clitheroe, BB7 2RA.

Or you can phone the council’s elections team on 01200 414411 or 01200 414426 to book an appointment to complete the form in person.

Finally, don’t forget to take photo-ID to your polling station if you are voting in person.

There are numerous forms of acceptable ID, including passports, driving licences and bus passes, and you are even able to use expired ID if you are still recognisable from the photo.

But if you do not have one of the accepted forms of ID you can apply for free photo-ID, called a Voter Authority Certificate, online.

To apply for the certificate, you will need to provide a photograph, your full name, date of birth, the address at which you are registered to vote and national insurance number or other form of proof of identity, such as a birth certificate, bank statement or utility bill.

You can also download a paper application form and send it to Elections Team, Ribble Valley Borough Council, Council Offices, Church Walk, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 2RA.

Or you can phone the council’s elections team on 01200 414411 or 01200 414426 to book an appointment to complete the form in person.

• Don’t forget to vote you must be registered to vote. It only takes five minutes to register online at gov.uk/register-to-vote. Please make sure you are registered to vote before applying for a Voter Authority Certificate.