Polling cards for local elections will be dropping through the letter boxes of more than 100,000 residents in Stafford Borough from this week.

The cards give information on where people can cast their votes in the elections for the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC), in May.

Stafford Borough Council will be running the poll on Thursday 2 May. The role of the PFCC is to set the priorities for the police and fire services in Staffordshire - holding the chief officers to account.

The last day to register to be able to take part in the elections is Tuesday 16 April and residents can find out how by going to www.staffordbc.gov.uk/how-do-you-register-to-vote

Residents wanting to vote will need to show identification at polling stations. A full list of accepted forms of ID can be found at Voter ID | Electoral Commission - and people who do not have any of the accepted identification have until Wednesday 24 April to apply for a free ‘Voter Authority Certificate’ at www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate

Electoral Returning Officer, Tim Clegg, who is the Chief Executive of the Borough Council, urged people to make sure they were registered to vote to take part in the election.

He said: “Electing someone as Staffordshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner is really important as they will take key decisions on the priorities for those services across the county.

“It only takes a few minutes to register online to vote and it is very straightforward. There will be a polling station near to wherever you live or you can have a postal vote.”

You can apply for a postal vote until Wednesday 17 April at www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote

For more information go to www.staffordbc.gov.uk/elections or email elections@staffordbc.gov.uk or call 01785 619 424.

Press Release No 6112