Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority Mayoral Election
Voters across the Greater Lincolnshire area, which includes the area covered by Lincolnshire County Council together with the areas of North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire, will vote for the first elected mayor for the Combined County Authority on 1 May.
For this election, one council acts as the lead authority dealing with the nomination of candidates and co-ordinating and declaring the results. For Greater Lincolnshire the election is co-ordinated by the Combined County Authority Returning Officer at North East Lincolnshire Council. Further information is available on the North East Lincolnshire Council website.
Lincolnshire County Council Elections
The election of the Lincolnshire County Councillors who represent the 14 county divisions within South Kesteven will also take place on 1 May;
The electoral divisions within the South Kesteven area are: Bourne North and Morton, Bourne South and Thurlby, Colsterworth Rural, Deepings East, Deepings West and Rural, Folkingham Rural, Grantham Barrowby, Grantham East, Grantham North, Grantham South, Grantham West, Hough, Stamford East and Stamford West.
Information for Candidates (County Council elections in South Kesteven)
Candidate and Agent Briefing Session
A briefing session will be held for prospective candidates and their election agents for the Lincolnshire County Council divisions within South Kesteven. The briefing session will be held on:
- Thursday 6 March at 6.00pm - Council Chamber, SKDC, South Kesteven House, Civic Building, St Peter's Hill, Grantham, NG31 6PY
It would be helpful if anyone interested in attending the briefing session could register in advance by emailing the elections team at elections@southkesteven.gov.uk.
At the briefing, we will explain the nomination process to stand as a candidate, the election timetable, appointment of agents, voting, campaigning and count arrangements.
The session is open to everyone who is interested or thinking about standing as a candidate at the County Council elections and to election agents.
Nomination of Candidates: prospective candidates can submit nomination papers between Wednesday 19 March and Wednesday 2 April 2025 (10am to 4pm, Monday-Friday).
Key election dates
Close of nominations
The deadline to submit nomination papers for both elections is 4pm on Wednesday 2 April 2025.
Registering to vote
Register to vote deadline - midnight on Friday 11 April 2025. Visit GOV.UK website to register (you will need your national insurance number).
If you are unsure if you are registered to vote, contact us on 01476 406080 and ask for Elections or email elections@southkesteven.gov.uk.
Apply to vote by post
Postal vote application deadline - 5pm on Monday 14 April 2025. This deadline is also for cancellations and amendments of all current postal and proxy votes.
Visit Apply for a postal vote on GOV.UK (you will need your national insurance number)
For more information or to download an application form visit out Voting by post or proxy webpage.
Apply to vote by proxy
Proxy vote application deadline - 5pm, Wednesday 23 April 2025
You can apply online or some forms of proxy vote, including for a specific election on the GOV.UK website Apply for a proxy vote
For more information visit our postal and proxy voting webpage.
Your proxy will need to bring their own photo ID to the polling station when voting on your behalf (unless they apply to vote by post on your behalf).
Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate
Voter Authority Certificate application deadline - 5pm Wednesday 23 April 2025.
Visit the GOV.UK website Apply for photo ID to vote (called a 'Voter Authority Certificate).
For more information visit our Voter ID webpage
Polling day
Polling day is Thursday 1 May 2025. Polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm.
Photo ID is required to be shown when voting at the polling station.
Poll card letters
Poll cards letters will be issued to all registered electors from 19 March.
If you have not received your poll card letter by the beginning of April it may mean that you are not registered. If you have moved in the last few months you need ot ensure you have re-registered at your new address. Please call us on 01476 406080 and ask for elections or email elections@southkesteven.gov.uk if you are not sure if you are registered to vote at your current address.
Postal votes
Postal votes will be issued as soon as possible after the close of nominations. Postal voters will be sent one postal pack containing the ballot papers for both elections.
The first mailing of postal vote packs (for residents whose application has been processed and accepted before 1 April 2025) will be sent on Monday 14 April 2025 and the second batch on 22 April 2025.
Receiving and returning your Postal Vote
- If you have registered for a postal vote and haven't received your postal vote pack by four working days before an election, contact us straight away.
- Return your completed postal vote by post using Royal Mail - allow enough time for it to arrive. It must be received by 10pm on Polling Day for it to be counted.
- Alternatively, postal votes can be handed in to an authorised officer at the Council Offices or at a polling station - you will be required to complete a Postal Vote Return Form when handing in your postal vote.
- You can only hand in up to five postal votes, plus your own to the Council Offices or a polling station.
- Postal votes must not be posted in the letter box of the council offices as they will be rejected. We are required by law to reject any postal votes delivered by hand if the Postal Vote Return Form is not completed.
- Political parties and campaigners can only hand in postal votes for their family members, or people they provide care for.
Proxy voting
If you have appointed a porxy to vote on your behalf at you allocated polling station, your proxy will be sent a proxy poll card.
There are limits to how many people a voter can act as a proxy for. This means a person can only act as a proxy for two people living in the UK. Anyone who acts as a proxy for people living overseas, can act as proxy for up to four people but only tow of these can be based in the UK.
Voting in person
Your poll card will tell you which polling station you need to go to. You do not need to take your poll card with you to vote as long as you are registered.
Voter ID at polling stations
All voters at a polling station will need to show an accepted form of photographic ID (photo ID) before being issued with a ballot paper.
The most common forms of photo ID are passports, photo driving licences, bus passes and Student PASS cards.
Anyone who does not have an acceptable form of photo ID can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. For more information about Voter Authority Certificates and acceptable forms of photo ID, please visit our Voter ID information page