On Thursday 6 May, residents in Sandwell will have their say on who represents them at the local, Police and Crime Commissioner and Combined Authority Mayoral elections.

In order to vote in these important elections, residents must be on the electoral register. With the deadline to register to vote fast approaching, Sandwell Council is urging people who have not registered at their current address to make sure they are registered in time.

The deadline to register to vote is midnight tonight - it takes just five minutes to apply online. More details can be found at sandwell.gov.uk/registertovote

This year, residents in Sandwell will be voting in a total of three different elections and will select:

• Councillors, who represent their local area and residents, and contribute to the development of policies in areas such as transport, social care or housing
• A combined authority mayor, who is elected to lead a group of councils working together on issues that affect the whole area, such as transport and housing
• The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner who oversees the local police force and ensures they are prioritising what matters to you.

Voters have a range of options for casting their ballot – in person, by post or by appointing someone they trust to vote in their place, known as a proxy vote. For those who choose to vote in person, polling stations will be safe places to vote on 6 May.

If you wish to vote by post, the deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on 20 April, and for a proxy vote (someone else voting on your behalf) the deadline is 5pm on 27 April.

For information on elections in their area, how to register to vote, or how to apply to vote by post or by proxy, voters can visit sandwell.gov.uk/elections2021.