Elections - Thursday 7 May 2026
St Albans City and District Council elections are taking place on
Thursday 7 May 2026.
Due to councillor resignations, there are two vacancies in both Sandridge & Wheathampstead and St Stephen district wards.
There is one councillor seat up for election in each of the other eighteen district wards.
Your vote matters: Make sure you're registered
To vote in these elections, you need to appear on the electoral register at your current address. All registered electors will receive a poll card in the post towards the end of March.
For the 7 May 2026 elections, the deadline for registering to vote is Monday 20 April. If you're not sure whether you are registered to vote, visit our Electoral Register and Voting page for more information.
Election timetable
| Date | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Friday 20 March | Notice of Election is published |
| Friday 20 March - 4pm Thursday 9 April | Period for candidate nominations to be submitted |
| Between 4pm Thursday 9 April and 4pm Friday 10 April | List of candidates (Statement of Persons Nominated) is published |
| Monday 20 April | Deadline to register to vote |
| 5pm Tuesday 21 April | Deadline to apply for a new postal vote, or to change or cancel an existing postal or proxy vote |
| 5pm Tuesday 28 April | Deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate |
| 5pm Tuesday 28 April | Deadline to apply for a new proxy vote |
| Thursday 30 April | First day to issue replacements for lost postal vote packs |
| 7am until 10pm Thursday 7 May | Election day |
| 5pm Thursday 7 May | Last time to issue replacements for lost or spoilt postal vote packs |
| 5pm Thursday 7 May | Deadline to apply for an emergency proxy vote |
Election notices
Notices relating to the 7 May 2026 election will appear below once published.
How to vote at these elections
Voting at a polling station:
If you are registered to vote in person, you'll need to attend your polling station between 7am and 10pm on Thursday 7 May. The address of your polling station will appear on your poll card. Alternatively, check the "Finding your polling station" section below.
Remember: you'll need to take valid photo ID with you - visit our Elections Act and Voter ID page for more information.
Voting by post:
The deadline for applying for a postal vote (and for changing an existing postal vote) is 5pm on Tuesday 21 April. To find out more about voting by post, including how to apply, visit our Electoral Register and Voting page.
If you have a postal vote in place, your postal voting ballot pack will be sent to you towards the end of April - the expected date of despatch will be shown on your poll card.
We'll need to receive your completed postal voting statement and ballot paper by 10pm on Thursday 7 May for it to be counted. Before you return your pack, check that you've completed your postal voting statement correctly.
Voting by proxy:
Voting by proxy means nominating somebody that you trust to vote on your behalf. To find out more about voting by proxy, including how to apply, visit our Electoral Register and Voting page.
The deadline for changing or cancelling an existing proxy vote is 5pm on Tuesday 21 April.
The deadline for applying for a new proxy vote is 5pm on Tuesday 28 April.
Finding your polling station
Shortly before an election, you will be sent a poll card which contains the address of your polling station.
Polling stations may change depending on the election. In the run-up to an election, you can also find details of your polling station by using Democracy Club’s polling station finder.
Results notices
The results of the 7 May 2026 elections will appear below once the counting of votes has finished on Friday 8 May.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any questions about this election, please take a look at the questions below and on our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ page. Information is also available on the Electoral Commission’s website.
If you can’t find an answer to your question below, please contact us.
Contact details
Email: elections@stalbans.gov.uk
Telephone: 01727 819294
I’d like to stand as a candidate; where can I find further information? Toggle accordion
The Electoral Commission’s Candidate or agent pages contain comprehensive guidance for candidates.
Nomination packs for the St Albans City and District Council elections will be available below from March.
Completed nomination papers can be submitted from Friday 20 March and must be received by no later than 4pm on Thursday 9 April. Nomination papers must be delivered by hand to: the Returning Officer, Electoral Services, Main Reception, St Albans City & District Council, Civic Centre, St Peter’s Street, St Albans, Herts, AL1 3JE. Candidates are encouraged to submit their nomination papers for checking as early as possible so that there is time to correct any mistakes.
For further information, and to arrange an appointment to submit nomination papers, please contact Electoral Services on 01727 819565 / 819554 or elections@stalbans.gov.uk.
Who’s standing for election? Toggle accordion
Once the nomination period has closed (4pm on Thursday 9 April), please see the "Statement of Persons Nominated" under the Election Notices section towards the top of this page.
Do I need photo ID to vote? Toggle accordion
To vote in a polling station, you will need to bring an acceptable form of photo ID. This requirement was introduced as part of the Elections Act 2022.
For more information about acceptable forms of photo ID, and what to do if you don't have photo ID, please visit our Elections Act and Voter ID page.
Why are some details pre-printed on my postal voting statement? Toggle accordion
The first two digits of your year of birth are pre-printed on your postal voting statement. The digits are pre-populated in the first two boxes of the year of birth based on your date of birth. This is done to assist electors to complete this section of the postal voting statement correctly.
Can I return my completed postal vote pack in person? Toggle accordion
If you aren't able to return your postal vote pack in time via Royal Mail, you can return it via reception at the Civic Centre offices (during office hours) or at your polling station on polling day.
You will only be able to hand in your own postal vote and the postal votes of up to five other people. Political campaigners can only hand in their own postal vote, and postal votes for up to five other people that are either close relatives, or someone they provide regular care for.
Anybody handing in a postal vote in person at the council offices or at a polling station must complete a short form.
Why have I received multiple postal vote packs? Toggle accordion
If you live in an area with multiple elections, you might receive a separate postal voting pack for each election / referendum.
I haven't received my postal vote pack, what can I do? Toggle accordion
Postal vote packs are usually sent out around two weeks before election day. If you've not received your postal vote pack by four working days before election day, contact Electoral Services on 01727 819294 or elections@stalbans.gov.uk. We can only issue a replacement before 5pm on election day.
Who are the people standing outside the polling station? What is a teller? Toggle accordion
A teller is a volunteer working for a candidate or a political party. They stand outside polling stations to record who has voted. They do not work for the Returning Officer.
Tellers can:
• Ask for your elector number
• Wear a small coloured rosette to show which candidate or party they work for
Tellers can't:
• Intimidate electors or demand their elector number
• Prevent electors from entering the polling station
• Attempt to influence how electors vote
Where can I find the results of the elections? Toggle accordion
Once the results have been declared, they will be published on our website. The results will also be displayed at: St Albans City & District Council Offices, Civic Centre, St Peters Street, St Albans, AL1 3JE.