On Thursday 7 May 2026, Reigate & Banstead residents will have their first opportunity to vote for the councillors they want to represent them on the new East Surrey Council. Read our guide to polling day to find out more about this important change in local government and make sure you're ready to take up your right to vote.
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These elections are the first time Surrey residents can vote for who will represent them in the brand new unitary authorities that will replace the existing county, district and borough councils.
Voters in the geographical areas of Reigate & Banstead, Elmbridge, Epsom & Ewell, Mole Valley, and Tandridge will be voting for their new East Surrey councillors.
From April 2027, East Surrey Council will take over delivering all the local government services people rely on in this area, including education, waste collection, roads, housing, play areas, planning, children's services, adult social care, and more.
All councillors for the new councils will start their five-year term at the same time, so the next opportunity to vote in local government elections will be May 2031.
It's a big change for local government in Surrey, so make sure you take up your right to vote.
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What will the new council be responsible for?
Initially, elected councillors will work as part of a ‘shadow authority’ to help set up the new councils. They will set budgets and council tax for the next financial year (2027-28), agree staffing structures and governance arrangements, adopt codes of conduct and members’ allowance schemes and prepare for the transfer of responsibilities from the existing councils.
On 1 April 2027, East and West Surrey Councils will officially take over delivery of services from Surrey County Council and the 11 district and borough councils (including Reigate & Banstead Borough Council) and these councils will be dissolved.
Existing county, borough and district councillors across the county will continue in their roles until 31 March 2027, so there will be no elections for these councils in May 2026, unless there is a by-election for a particular ward. There is one by-election in Reigate & Banstead on 7 May.
Find out more
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East Surrey Council elections
East Surrey Council will be made up of 72 councillors representing 36 wards - two councillors for each ward. The area covered by the borough of Reigate & Banstead has 10 wards and will be represented by 20 councillors.
You can vote for two candidates in your ward. (You may vote for fewer than two candidates, but you cannot vote for the same candidate twice.)
The two candidates with the most votes will be elected. East Surrey councillors will serve for five years, until May 2031.
The candidates standing for election in each area are available on the Future Surrey website.
See who you can vote for
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Earlswood and Whitebushes by-election
There is a by-election to elect one Reigate & Banstead Borough councillor for Earlswood and Whitebushes ward. If you live in this area, you will be given an additional ballot paper.
Please remember to vote for one candidate only (unlike in the East Surrey Council election where you are voting for two) and take care to place your ballot paper in the correct ballot box for each election.
More by-election information
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The votes will be counted across East Surrey on Friday 8 May. You can find out the results for wards within Reigate & Banstead as they are declared by following @ReigateBanstead on Facebook and X. They will also be published on our website once our local area count is complete.
The overall results for East Surrey Council can only be declared once votes have been counted in the five geographical areas that make up East Surrey. They will be published on the Future Surrey website when available.
Results of the Earlswood and Whitebushes by-election for Reigate & Banstead Borough Council will be available on our website.
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If you're voting in person, make sure you have acceptable photo ID and check the information on your poll card before you go.
If you have a postal vote, make sure you return your ballot in good time (see the 'Voting by post' section below for more information).
Polling stations will be open between 7am and 10pm. Here's more information about what to expect.
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Remember your photo ID
To vote in person at a polling station, you must bring an accepted form of photo ID. Accepted IDs can include a passport, a driving licence or some concessionary travel passes, such as an older person’s bus pass, and the free Voter Authority Certificate. You can use expired IDs if the photo still looks like you. The name on your ID must be the same name you used to register to vote.
If you get to the polling station and have not got a valid form of ID, you will be asked to return with a photo ID that is accepted.
There will be a private area for people to show their identity if needed, for example people who wear face coverings.
If you are voting on behalf of someone else as their proxy, you will need to bring your own photo ID. If you lose your ID, or your Voter Authority Certificate does not arrive in time, you can apply for an emergency proxy up until 5pm on election day (see 'Voting by proxy' section below).
Full list of accepted photo ID
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Finding your polling station
In person voters will have been sent a poll card which tells you which polling station to go to. However, as long as you have registered to vote and have a valid form of ID, you will still be able to vote if you don't have your poll card.
You must go to your designated polling station and won't be able to vote at a different one, for example, one near your work.
You can find your polling station by entering your postcode on the Future Surrey website.
You don’t need to bring your poll card with you to vote, but it can help polling station staff find your details more quickly if you do.
Where do I vote?
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How to complete your ballot paper
Take your time: read the ballot papers carefully and complete them in line with the instructions. Don't write anything else on the paper, or your vote may be spoiled and not counted.
If you make a mistake, as long as you haven't already put it in the ballot box, just let the polling station staff know and they can give you a replacement ballot paper.
Once you're done, fold your completed ballot paper in half and put it in the ballot box on the desk beside the poll clerks.
Staff will be on hand at polling stations to assist voters with any questions about filling out their ballot paper.
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If you need help
Our polling stations have ramps, wheelchair accessible polling booths and visual aids. Polling station staff will be on hand to help anyone who needs it, and carers or support workers can also help. Assistance dogs are welcome too.
If you have a visual impairment, you can ask for a large print ballot paper to refer to when you cast your vote, or a special tactile voting device to enable you to mark your ballot paper on your own.
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Who is allowed in the polling booth?
You cannot be accompanied into the polling booth by another adult, unless you have a disability, in which case you can take someone in to help you, or you can ask one of the polling station staff for their help.
Children are welcome. While your child must not mark the ballot paper for you, you can take them into the polling booth with you.
Animals, apart from assistance dogs, are not allowed inside, so will need to be secured outside if you do decide to take them with you.
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Tellers
Tellers might be outside the polling station and ask you for the number on your poll card. They are volunteering on behalf of candidates or parties and use the information to check who has voted, and to remind people who haven't yet voted, to do so.
They are allowed to be there and to ask for the information, but you don't have to give it to them if you don’t want to. Your vote is yours and yours alone - you do not need to tell anyone how you voted. If you are concerned about the conduct of a teller, speak to a member of polling station staff.
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Photos or selfies
You’re not allowed to take photos inside the polling station as it puts the secrecy of the ballot at risk. You are welcome to take photos outside the polling station and share them on social media to let others know you’ve voted and encourage them to vote too.
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If you have opted to vote by post, make sure you return your postal ballot in good time.
If you don't get around to posting yours in time, you can hand it in at your polling station or hand deliver it to the Town Hall, Reigate up until 10pm on polling day.
You can only hand in your own postal vote, and the postal votes of up to five other people. You will need to complete a form, including your name and address, how many postal votes you are handing in and why you are handing in those postal votes.
More about voting by post
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If you have applied for someone to vote on your behalf (a proxy), they will receive a proxy poll card telling them where and when to vote for you.
If you’re voting on behalf of someone else as their proxy, remember that you need to go to their polling station to do so, rather than yours, and you will need to take your own photo ID to the polling station to be able to vote.
You can act as a proxy for up to two people living in the UK. If you vote on behalf of UK voters who live overseas, you can act as a proxy for up to four people, but only two of these can live in the UK.
More about voting by proxy
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