Election information

2023 local elections - Key dates

On 4th May 2023 local government elections will be held to elect 51 Councillors to Derby City Council.

A full list of dates is available in the timetable section.

Voter identification

If you’re planning to vote in the 2023 local elections, you’ll need to bring your voter ID with you to the polling station. Find out more on our Voter ID page.

Voter ID evaluation data 2023

Visit the 2023 voter ID data page to find more information.

Change to the election cycle and ward boundaries

Following the 2023 Local Government Boundary Review, the election cycle for Derby and it’s ward names and boundaries have changed.

Voters in Derby have previously elected local councillors ‘by thirds’, which meant local elections were held in most years. From 2023 the council will move to ‘all out’ elections where all 51 councillors will be elected at once. Local elections will be held every four years after that.

The number of wards in Derby will increase from 17 to 18. Most wards will be represented by 3 councillors, except the following wards which will be represented by 2 councillors due to their smaller size:

• Chaddesden East
• Chaddesden North
• Chaddesden West

Your ballot paper will include instructions about how many Councillors you can vote for.

Your poll card will have details of which polling station you should go to. You can also check your polling station by entering your postcode on the Where Do I Vote? website.

Who is eligible to vote in local elections?

To vote in a local government election you must be registered to vote at an address in the area you want to vote in and be 18 or over on the day of the election. You must also be one of the following:

• a British citizen
• an Irish or EU citizen
• a qualifying Commonwealth citizen.

Who are the candidates?

The Statement of Persons Nominated lists the name and political party or description (if any) of each candidate for each ward.

You can also check the candidates standing in your ward by entering your postcode on the Who Can I Vote For website.

Register to vote

However you choose to vote, you must be registered. The quickest and easiest way to register to vote is online.

You will need your National Insurance number when you register. The deadline to register for the 2023 local elections is Monday 17 April.

Postal and proxy voting

Your vote is yours alone

For information from the Electoral Commission download the multi-lingual Your vote is yours alone leaflet or watch the YouTube videos. 

Postal voting

If you’re thinking about voting by post, you need to apply separately by downloading a postal vote application form from the Electoral Commission website.

You can apply any time after you have registered to vote. Applying earlier helps us process your application in good time and send your postal vote to you sooner.

Once you've downloaded, printed and completed the form you can email it to postalvoting@derby.gov.uk or post it to us at Electoral Services, Council House, Corporation Street, Derby, DE1 2FS.

If you don’t have access to a printer, let us know and we will send you a form in the post. We can’t accept forms with missing, typed or digitised signatures.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote for the 2023 local elections is 5pm on Tuesday 18 April 2023. This is also the deadline to cancel or amend your existing postal vote.

Completed postal votes must reach us no later than 10pm on polling day, Thursday 4 May.

Certain Royal Mail postboxes in the city are designated as priority postboxes. These have late collection times with 98% of them having a collection time of after 4pm. Visit the Royal Mail website to see if there is one near you.

When will I receive my postal vote?

Any postal votes will be sent by first class post.

Proxy voting

Proxy voting means that if you can’t cast your vote in person, you can have someone you trust cast your vote for you.

The person you wish to appoint as your proxy can only act as proxy if both of the following apply:

• they are 18 or over
• they are (or will be) registered for that election or referendum.

A person cannot be a proxy for more than two people at any one election unless they are a close relative.

To request a proxy vote application form, please email proxyvoting@derby.gov.uk.

The deadline for cancellation or amendment of an existing proxy vote is 5pm on Tuesday 18 April.

The deadline for applications for a new proxy vote is 5pm on Tuesday 25 April.

Your proxy will be required to show their own, suitable photo ID at the polling station.

Information for candidates and agents

How can I stand as a candidate in the local elections?

The Electoral Commission publishes guidance for candidates and prospective candidates.

Briefings for prospective candidates and agents will take place at:

• 5.30pm on Tuesday 7 March
• 5.30pm on Tuesday 18 April.

Candidate briefings will take place at the Council House and you can also join through Microsoft Teams. To request an invite, please email nominations@derby.gov.uk.

You can download the slides from the Candidate and Agents Briefing presentation on 7 March.

Nominations

The Notice of Election will be published on Wednesday 22 March.

Nominations may be submitted from Thursday 23 March, until 4pm on Tuesday 4 April. We can accept nominations between 10am and 4pm weekdays.

Nomination papers are available on the Electoral Commission's website or can be requested by emailing nominations@derby.gov.uk.

Candidates are encouraged to have their nomination papers informally checked before they are formally submitted. If you would like your papers to be checked informally, please email a scanned copy to nominations@derby.gov.uk or contact us to arrange an in-person appointment.

Informal checks will not be conducted before the nomination period begins and we will conduct informal checks in the order we receive them.

Once we have carried out an informal check, please make an appointment to formally submit your nomination papers. Appointments can be made by emailing nominations@derby.gov.uk.

When formally submitted, nomination papers must be delivered by hand and cannot be sent by post, email, or other electronic means.

Election expenses

Election expenses are the expenses that are incurred by those standing for election in the running of their campaign. There are limits on spending for each election that all candidates must adhere to.

The Proper Officer in each authority with responsibility for elections is required to retain a copy of each election spending return and declaration, and any accompanying documents, for a period of two years beginning with the date when the return is received. During that period, they must make copies available on request for public inspection without charge. There are charges of 20p per side applicable for copies of expense information provided.

Requesting electoral registers

Once you become a candidate, you are entitled to receive a free copy of the electoral register. You are also entitled to the lists of people voting by post or proxy (‘the lists of absent voters’) for the ward that you are contesting.

Please send a completed Register request form or Absent voters list request form to elections@derby.gov.uk.

The Electoral Commission publishes guidance on the use of information from the register or absent votes list.

Where do I get more information?

Guidance for candidates and agents is available from the Electoral Commission or for specific requests contact us at elections@derby.gov.uk.

Election notices

Election notices will be published on this page on the following dates:

Election timetable

Supporting people to vote on 4 May 

• Voter ID resource: Easy read booklet
• Voter ID resource: Plain text, braille and audio links
• Voter ID resource: Voter booklet translations 
• Supporting Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities to vote
• Supporting people experiencing homelessness to vote
• Supporting trans and non-binary people to vote
• Supporting older people to vote

Signed videos

• Signed video - What will happen at the polling station
• Signed video - Applying for a Voter Authority Certificate
• Signed video - Which forms of ID can I use to vote
• Signed video - How do I register to vote

Your vote is yours alone

For information from the Electoral Commission download the multi-lingual Your vote is yours alone leaflet or watch the YouTube videos.