Norwich City Council

Council Services

Election services

Norwich City Council's elections office is responsible for registering electors, conducting elections and taking part in new initiatives to increase the number of people registering to vote. You can contact us on 01603 212055/212053 or email elections@norwich.gov.uk

Local elections 2010

Currently 13 of the 39 city council seats are vacant. This is because the decision to grant unitary status to the city, which gave the 13 councillors who should have stood for election this year extended terms of office until May 2011, was formally quashed by the High Court at the begininning of July.

On Monday 19 July the High Court ruled that the election for these 13 seats will be held on 9 September 2010.

This means a notice will be given no later than 4 August signalling the beginning of the purdah period and nominations for those seats.

Local election timetable for Thursday 9 September 2010 (11.4 Kb pdf)
Notice of local elections (17.5 Kb pdf)
Statement of nominations (88.2 Kb pdf)
Norwich City Councillors standing for re-election (18 Kb pdf)
Notice of appointment of election agents (69.6 Kb pdf)
Notice of poll (90.5 Kb pdf)

Anyone who has moved home in the last few months and has not re-registered as an elector, or who failed to register during the annual update in autumn should send in an application as soon as possible. Registering for other services or paying council tax does not register you to vote.

Guidance for local elections
Candidates guidance information

Register of electors

Norwich’s register of electors (or electoral roll) is a record of everyone who lives within the city who is eligible to vote. You can only vote if your name is on this register.

From the end of August until the end of November, an annual canvass of all the residential properties in Norwich takes place. This information is used to update the register, which is then published on 1 December.

There are two versions of the register of electors - the full register, and the edited register. Click for details of these registers and how to access them.

Register to vote

Register to vote poster

Who is eligible to vote
You must be 18 years old or over, a British, other Commonwealth, Irish or other European Union Citizen and living in the Norwich City Council area.

Click here for a list of eligible countries

Norwich residents who are registered to vote, can vote to elect people to:

  • Norwich City Council - ordinary elections are held on the first Thursday in May, unless the Secretary for State orders otherwise. There are 13 wards and councillors are elected in thirds.
  • Norfolk County Council - 84 councillors are elected from across the county. Elections are held on the first Thursday in May. Vacancies can arise at any time between ordinary elections.
  • Parliament - Parliamentary elections are held on a date decided by the Prime Minister. This must be within 5 years of the last general election. By-elections are held when a sitting MP dies, resigns or ceases to be qualified to serve.
  • European Parliament - European elections are held every 5 years on a date fixed by the European Parliament.

To vote by post or proxy, please contact the elections office for an application form by emailing elections@norwich.gov.uk


Review of polling districts, polling places and polling stations

A review of polling districts, polling places and polling stations has been carried out in accordance with the Electoral Administration Act 2006.

Following the review, council agreed the following amendments:

  • In Bowthorpe ward, polling district GA3 be split just north of Tolye Road to create two polling districts - one covering Chapel Break and one covering Three Score.
  • All other polling districts will remain unchanged.
  • All polling districts will be re-numbered to link their reference numbers to the electoral ward and to make them more easily identifiable.

Minutes of council meetings that considered the review:

Polling District Review Group – 17 October 2007
Council – 30 October 2007


Useful links

The Boundary Committee for England - Future electoral arrangements for Norwich in Norfolk voting
The Electoral Commission
About my vote

Promote the Vote
Promote the Vote is a project which provides free workshops to encourage people with learning disabilities to gain a better understanding of politics, become active citizens and register to vote. This project is managed by Speaking Up and funded by the Electoral Commission.

For more information email Imogen Ridler at Speaking Up Imogen.Ridler@speakingup.org or visit www.speakingup.org


Past election results

Parliamentary election for Norwich South constituency - Thursday 6 May 2010

Parliamentary by-election for the Norwich North constituency 23 July 2009

The Norwich North by-election was managed by Broadland District Council. For details of the results see Broadland District Council's website.


Combined European Parliamentary and Norfolk County Council Elections 4 June 2009

European Parliamentary election results:

Declaration of results for the Eastern region
Results of the European election
Statement under Rule 56(1)(b) of the European Parliamentary Elections Rules 2004

Norfolk County Council election results:

Norfolk County Council results
Further information on the results is available on the Norfolk County Council website


Bowthorpe ward by-election 12 March 2009

Candidate name Political party Votes Elected
Jo Storie Labour 761  
Dave Thomas Liberal Democrats 686  
Christine Way Green Party 193  
Andrew Wiltshire Conservative 915 X

Norwich City Council election 1 May 2008 (3.58Mb pdf)

Norwich City Council election May 2007