Local Government Elections take place nationwide on Thursday, May 4 and in Salford, Labour will look to maintain their 50-year dominance and of the council.
Labour currently control 49 of the 60 seats and will be looking to build on their success but face challenges from the other parties.
One councillor will be elected in each of the city’s 20 wards, apart from in Pendlebury and Clifton Ward, where two seats will be contested.
To vote in a local government election, you must be registered to vote; be 18 or over on the day of the election; be registered at an address in the area you want to vote in; and not be legally excluded from voting.
Local government councillors in England and Wales are elected using the First Past the Post system. This means that the candidate who wins the most votes in each constituency is elected.
This year, the government have introduced a new legal requirement to show photo ID when voting at a polling station.
Acceptable photo ID includes a driving license or passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state.
If you do not have government-approved photo ID, you can apply for a free voter authority certificate.
The deadline for this is 5pm on Tuesday, April 25.
You can find out more about valid forms of photo ID here: Voter ID • Salford City Council.
You can also appoint someone to vote on your behalf by registering for a proxy vote.
How do local elections in Salford work and what do your councillors do?
There are twenty council wards in Salford and each one is represented by three elected councillors.
These representatives all form a part of the full Salford City Council, which is headed by the City Mayor, Paul Dennett.
Elections of councillors are held three years in every four, with one third of the councillors retiring at each election.
Candidates either run with a political party affiliation or as an independent.
When you head to your polling station on Thursday 4 May, you will vote for one candidate. The candidate who receives the most votes in each ward will be elected to the council (two candidates will be elected in Pendlebury and Clifton).
Polling stations are open from 7am until 10pm and the verification and count will begin after this time.
The estimated time for the full council declaration is approximately 4am and details of the results will be shared on the council’s Twitter and Facebook accounts and on their website.
Salford City Council provides most local government services in Salford. Your councillor represents your ward – they are the bridge between the local community and the council.
When decisions are made and votes are cast by the council on issues ranging from public transport to affordable housing to council tax, your councillor should communicate with the local community and then vote in the interests of your ward.
Recent decisions made by Salford City Council include the approval of the Homelessness Strategy as well as the Pothole Action Fund 2022/23.
Salford City Council Candidates
The full run-down of all eighty-nine candidates running for election in Salford can be found here: Statement of persons nominated • Salford City Council.
Currently, the city council is controlled by the Labour party with 49 councillors. There are also eight Conservative councillors, two Liberal Democrats and one independent.
Since Salford City Council was formed in 1973, it has continuously been under Labour control.
In the Quays ward, Jonathan Moore is running for the Liberal Democrats, Andrew Nadin is representing the Green Party, Jake Rowland is running for re-election for the Labour Party, and Dan Swift is the Conservative Party candidate.
To find out more about the upcoming election, visit the Salford City Council website: Local election – Thursday 4 May 2023 • Salford City Council.