Voters urged to register as deadline looms

Voters in Kent will soon get to have their say over who is in charge of local services, from education to social care, libraries and road surfaces.

The deadline to register to vote is 23:59 BST on Friday 11 April and by 17:00 on Monday 14 April for postal votes.

Kent County Council (KCC) elections will take place on 1 May, with residents able to vote for 81 councillors across 72 divisions.

On polling day, 800 polling stations will be open across Kent from 07:00 until 22:00.

Last time these seats were contested, in 2021, the Conservatives secured an overwhelming victory, with around 70% of the seats on the council.

Local and mayoral contests can reflect voters' attitudes about neighbourhood concerns, such as when bins are collected, the state of parks and pavements, or access to libraries and hospitals.

But they can also be a verdict on how parties and leaders are handling national issues.

This year that could mean the NHS, the cost of living, or even foreign affairs such as the tariffs introduced by US president Donald Trump and the conflicts in Ukraine or the Middle East.

The elections are the first of their kind since Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister and since Kemi Badenoch took over as Conservative leader.

KCC has been Conservative-run since 1997 but political experts say the current climate means the outcome is by no means pre-determined.

Prof Richard Whitman from the University of Kent said: "The national political picture has changed quite dramatically, obviously the Conservatives are no longer in power.

"The last time we had the KCC elections the Conservative party performed very strongly.

"The expectation this time is that other parties will challenge that, both at the level of Reform and the Labour party.

"But also the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and independent candidates who have performed strongly in the past."

All voters intending to cast a ballot in the elections on May 1 will need to be registered and show a form of photo identification at the polling station.

Not all types of photo ID will be accepted, but a passport, driving licence or blue badge are valid.

Anyone without the correct identification will need to apply for a voter authority certificate by 17:00 on 23 April.

You can find a full list of candidates in your area here.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, external, on X, external, and on Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk, external, or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.