Changes to ballot papers and postal votes - what to expect in the local elections

There are council elections across South and West Yorkshire in May - but ballot papers could be much longer than normal and your postal vote may have expired. Here's a guide to help you navigate it all.

Polling stations will open their doors on Thursday 7 May for the local elections - and it can all seem a bit complicated.

First of all, there are no elections in North Yorkshire this year.

Some parts of South and West Yorkshire have all-out elections and others have what is known as "thirds".

Thirds elections are taking place in

• Sheffield
• Leeds

In these cities, a third of the seats are up for election. There will be an election in every ward, but voters can only choose one candidate.

There are all-out elections in

• Barnsley
• Bradford
• Calderdale
• Kirklees
• Wakefield

This means every single seat is up for election and voters will choose three candidates in each ward.

In some of these areas, it is the first time in years there have been all-out elections.

The main parties will field dozens of candidates and expect to see independent hopefuls too, so be prepared for some long ballot papers.

You have until Monday 20 April to register to vote and until Tuesday 21 April to apply for a postal vote.

If you have previously had a postal vote, you need to reapply every three years or your application will automatically expire.

If you applied for a postal vote before 30 January 2024, your postal vote will have expired.

If you still wish to vote by post, you will need to submit a new application.

There is more information on the government elections website or on your local council's website.

Barnsley is holding all-out elections for the first time since 2004. It means all 63 councillors will be elected at once.

This is because the Local Government Boundary Commission has made some minor changes to wards. In future, all-out elections will be held in Barnsley once every four years.

There are 21 wards and three vacancies in each ward.

What to expect

• Some wards have as many as 13 candidates so ballot papers will look longer than normal

• Candidates will be listed alphabetically by surname

• Make three X marks on the ballot paper

• You may also receive a separate ballot paper if you live in an area with a parish council.

Barnsley Council will count the votes on Friday 8 May, and a result is expected later that day.

Labour has held a majority on Barnsley Council since the borough was formed in 1974. Councillor Sir Steve Houghton has been leader for 30 years.

In Bradford, all 90 seats across 30 wards in the district are up for election.

You can vote for up to three candidates per ward, rather than the usual one.

What to expect

• Ballot papers will be longer than normal

• Counting is going to take place across two days - Friday 8 and Saturday 9 May.

The district was created in 1974 and the Conservatives formed a majority administration until 1978, when the authority was in no overall control.

Labour won a majority in 1980 and has been the only party to form a majority since.

Aside from a brief period between 2004 and 2006, Labour has been the largest party and held power since 2014.

The all-out election means every seat is up for election and people can vote for up to three candidates on the ballot paper.

The number of councillors has increased from 51 to 54 following a review by the Local Government Boundary Commission.

Calderdale has been split into 18 wards, from the current 17, with three elected councillors for each of the new wards.

What to expect

• The candidate with the highest number of votes will receive a four-year term until May 2030

• The candidate with the second highest number of votes will receive a two-year term until May 2028

• The candidate with the third highest number of votes will receive a one-year term until May 2027.

Results are expected on Friday evening

In the last elections in 2024, Labour retained control of Calderdale Council.

Labour holds 27 of Calderdale's 51 seats, with the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats the main opposition.

All 69 district council seats will be up for election across 23 wards. Voters can choose up to three candidates standing in their ward.

What to expect

• The council says postal voting packs are being issued in two batches due to the volume

• It is important that you apply as early as possible so that you can receive your postal vote before you travel

• If you already have a postal vote in place or successfully apply prior to Sunday 29 March, your postal vote will be handed to Royal Mail on or around 18 April.

• If you apply for your postal vote between Sunday 29 March and before the deadline at 17:00 BST on Tuesday 21 April, your postal vote will be handed to Royal Mail on or around 25 April.

Results are expected on Friday evening.

Kirklees Council has no one party in overall control.

Labour has 23 seats, the Conservatives have 16 seats, there are 11 Independent councillors, the Liberal Democrats have nine seats, the Green Party has four seats and there is one vacancy.

Wakefield Council is holding its first all-out elections in over 20 years, because of boundary changes to some wards.

Each of Wakefield's 21 wards has three councillors who each hold one of the authority's 63 seats.

In a whole-council election, the three candidates who receive the most votes are elected.

What to expect

• People can vote for three candidates in their ward by putting a cross in the boxes next to their preferred candidates on their ballot paper.

Results are expected on Friday evening.

Labour has maintained control of Wakefield Council since its formation in 1974.

Current leader Denise Jeffries became the first female leader of the authority in December 2019 following the retirement of long-serving leader Peter Box.

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