30 March 2026

On Thursday 7 May residents in South Cambridgeshire will go to the polls to have their say on who represents them on the District Council.

All 45 seats on the District Council will be up for election. Local government elections select councillors who are responsible for making decisions on running services in the local area.

There will also be town and parish Council elections in some areas - where there are more nominations than seats available.

Anyone who wants to stand as a candidate for district, town or parish council elections will need to complete a nomination form. The nomination period opened at 9am today (Monday 30 March 2026) and closes on Thursday 9 April at 4pm. Full details about the process and guidance are available on the District Council’s website.

To vote in this election, residents must be on the electoral register. The deadline to register to vote in these elections is 11:59pm on Monday 20 April. South Cambridgeshire District Council’s elections team is encouraging residents who have not registered at their current address to make sure they are registered in time.

Anyone can apply online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and it takes just five minutes to do so. Residents who are not registered by the end of the day on Monday 20 April will not be able to vote. If you were eligible to vote in last year’s elections and your details have not changed – it is very likely you will still be registered. If you are not sure whether you are registered, check your details with South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Elections team by emailing elections@scambs.gov.uk

If you want to apply for a postal vote, you must do this by 5pm on Tuesday 21 April. Due to recent changes in the law, postal votes now expire after three years. The District Council recently wrote to a number of affected residents to tell them their postal vote had been removed due to this change. Those residents will also need to make a new application if they want to reinstate their postal vote.

If you want to apply for a proxy vote, the deadline to do that is 5pm on Tuesday 28 April.

As is now normal process for local elections in England, voters will need to show an accepted form of photo ID at their polling station. If you do not have a photo ID that allows you to vote, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate for free. This is a paper document with your photo on it that you can use to prove your identity when voting. The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate is 5pm on Tuesday 28 April.

You can find out where your polling station will be by visiting www.scambs.gov.uk and entering your postcode in the ‘In my area’ section. Details of polling stations are also included on poll cards that everyone who is registered to vote will receive in the post.

South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Chief Executive and Returning Officer for the elections in May, Liz Watts, said: “Local elections are a vital opportunity for residents to help shape the future of our communities. By taking a few moments to register to vote, you ensure your voice can be heard on the issues that matter most to you - from the services you rely on every day to the long term vision for South Cambridgeshire. I encourage everyone who is eligible to make sure they are registered in good time. Participating in our democratic process is one of the most important ways we can all contribute to our community.”