London local elections 2022: How and where to vote

Polling day falls on Thursday 5 May

Hundreds of seats up for grabs (AFP via Getty Images)

A total of 200 local authorities across Britain are holding elections on Thursday 5 May, with every council seat in London up for grabs.

Many of the seats being contested were up for election four or five years ago, when Theresa May was the prime minister and Jeremy Corbyn was leader of the Labour party.

With a very different political landscape this time around, the elections will be a verdict on Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer, taking in issues such as Covid-19 and the cost of living.

The votes will also capture Londoners views on local councils attempts to make the city greener, cleaner and more pleasant with active travel measures such as bike lanes and low traffic neighbourhoods.

There are several councils to watch, including Barnet, Labour's top target in London for the third election in a row.

The party failed narrowly to win control in 2014, while 2018 saw the council swing further towards the Conservatives. Labour needs to gain nine seats to form a majority.

The local election results will also reflect feelings about national issues (Reuters)

Wandsworth is another long-standing Labour target, and here the party managed to increase its number of councillors in both 2014 and 2018.

In Hillingdon, which contains the constituency of the prime minister and has been controlled by the Conservatives since 2006, Labour is also hoping to make gains.

Likewise in Westminster, which has been held by the Tories continuously since its creation in 1964, the final result could be close.

Here is a short guide to the 2022 local elections in London.

Can I still register to vote?

If you are not yet registered to vote, it is now too late for the elections on 5 May.

But you can still register for future elections.

The deadline has also passed for voting by post or by proxy.

How do I vote?

Poll cards are being sent out now telling people at which polling station they should vote.

You can only vote at the polling station location on your card, but you do not need the card to vote (i.e. if you have lost the card or forget to take it with you to the polling station, you can still vote).

Then just follow the instructions on the ballot paper. For Covid reasons, people are being advised to bring their own pen or pencil and wear a face covering.

When can I vote?

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 5 May.

If you are voting by post, you can do so straight away.

Voters who have opted to vote by post must return their postal ballot pack by 10pm.

They can hand it in at their polling station if they have not returned it by post.

Can I vote if I have Covid?

If a voter is self-isolating or becomes unwell as a result of Covid, they have up to 5pm on polling day to apply for an emergency proxy vote.

This allows them to nominate someone they trust to vote on their behalf.