Only one week left to register for West Midlands mayoral election
Published: Thursday 06 Apr 2017
People wanting to take part in the election to choose the first ever West Midlands Mayor have just one week to register for the historic vote.
With the countdown to the May 4 election now officially underway and the final list of candidates confirmed, potential voters are being urged not to miss out.
People have until midnight next Thursday (April 13) to register for the poll and make sure they have their say on who will represent the region to the rest of world.
The mayoral election will see votes cast in Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton counted and the winner declared at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham on Friday May 5.
The mayoral election will see votes cast in Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton counted and the winner declared at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham on Friday May 5.
The Mayor will be responsible for a range of issues, including transport, and will chair the recently formed West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
The returning officer for the election and WMCA interim chief executive, Martin Reeves, said: The Mayor will be hugely influential in overseeing the on-going transfer of powers from Westminster to the West Midlands.
This will mean that, for the first time, important decisions are made by local people, right here in our region - decisions that can bring more jobs, more homes and better transport for everyone
That's why it's important that anyone who wants to have a say in shaping our region's future doesn't miss out because they have left it too late to register
To be able to vote, people will need to be on the electoral register by April 13. Those already on the register at their current address don't need to take any further action to ensure they can have their say.
Those not registered or who have recently moved home and want to take part in the vote should visit www.gov.uk/register-to-vote where they can register online. This involves confirming date of birth and national insurance number. Alternatively, they should contact their local authority's elections office.
Those people needing to update their details, for example if they have changed their name, should also contact their local council.
The race for Mayor officially got underway this week with the announcement of the final list of candidates.
They are:
• James Burn - Green Party
• Pete Durnell - UK Independence Party (UKIP)
• Beverley Anne Nielsen - Liberal Democrats
• Siôn Llewelyn Simon - Labour and Co-operative Party
• Graham John Stevenson - Communist
• Andy Street - The Conservative Party Candidate
For more information about the role and powers of the Mayor and the West Midlands Combined Authority and for further details about the mayoral election visit www.wmcaelects.co.uk