If you live in Bidston & St. James ward

Please vote John Brace (your only local candidate) on Thursday May 5th. The local Liberal Democrat Action Team works all year round, not just at election time. Many people have said they appreciate our regular Focuses about this area and what’s going on. If you are unsure of your local polling station (as many are) … Continue reading “If you live in Bidston & St. James ward”

Please vote John Brace (your only local candidate) on Thursday May 5th. The local Liberal Democrat Action Team works all year round, not just at election time. Many people have said they appreciate our regular Focuses about this area and what’s going on.

If you are unsure of your local polling station (as many are) there is a list below. Your polling card will identify which polling district you live in (Bidston & St. James has six). If you don’t know your polling station area please get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.

Most people don’t need their polling card to vote (only one person in Bidston & St. James does!). Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm. However, please don’t leave it to 9.59pm in order to vote as the 10pm deadline can’t be changed!

AA – Beechwood Play and Community Centre, Fifth Avenue
AB – Bidston Village CE Primary School, (formerly St Oswalds), Ballantyne Drive
AC – Holy Cross RC Junior School, Gautby Road
AD – St James Centre, Laird Street
AE – Our Lady & St Edward RC Primary School, Old Bidston Road
AF – The Priory C of E Primary School, Trinity Street

If you still have a postal vote you can still take it to the polling station. It’ll be taken with the ballot boxes to the count. About fifty people did this last year as if you posted your postal vote on polling day you can’t guarantee it’ll get there in time to be counted.

If you have registered for a postal vote and it doesn’t arrive you cannot vote at a polling station (before 5pm). You have to travel to Wallasey Town Hall in Brighton Street, Seacombe, be issued with a replacement postal ballot paper, complete that and take it to your polling station.

After 5pm if memory serves correct Wallasey Town Hall is shut so you can vote at your polling station, however be persistent as they may initially tell you you can’t!

This year the arrangements for counting the AV referendum ballots and local council elections is different. Both will be counted at the Pacific Road Theatre & Arts Centre in Pacific Road, Birkenhead. The postal votes are generally done seperately at Wallasey Town Hall as a proportion of the dates of birth and signatures are checked.

The timetable is as follows (with approximate timescales):-

10pm Polling stations close. Paperwork completed. Ballot boxes sealed.
10pm to 10.15pm Ballot boxes transported to count centre
10.15pm to 10.20pm Ballot boxes arrive at count centre (more paperwork). Quick check to make sure nothing has gone misssing in transit and seals are still intact. Yellow pouches containing any postal votes handed in at polling stations removed. Ballot boxes assigned to correct ward teams for counting.
10.20pm to midnight Local council election ballot papers seperated from AV referendum ballots (to be counted Friday afternoon).

Three counters used to count Bidston & St. James vote. Result expected in the early hours of May 6th.

Some areas with large turnout and recounts may take longer.

Afternoon of May 6th – AV referendum ballot papers counted. Result declared and added to national result.

Good luck to all candidates (of all parties). I’d like to thank everyone in Bidston & St. James (even those who said they aren’t voting) for the interesting issues they have raised with me. Please be assured that we’ll still be here after the election working for the people of this area.

Although the Liberal Democrat Action Team already knows what the result of this election will be, we are not allowed (by law) to report it until the result it officially declared on May 6th.

134 Boundary Road, Bidston, CH43 7PH

Author: John Brace

New media journalist from Birkenhead, England who writes about Wirral Council. Published and promoted by John Brace, 134 Boundary Road, Bidston, CH43 7PH. Printed by UK Webhosting Ltd t/a Tsohost, 113-114 Buckingham Avenue, Slough, Berkshire, England, SL1 4PF.