Future elections being held in Cheltenham

The next scheduled elections to take place in Cheltenham will be borough council elections which will be held on Thursday 2 May 2024, when all forty seats will be up for election due to ward boundary changes. The Police and Crime Commissioner election will also be held on Thursday 2 May 2024.

Visit our types of election pages for information on how each type of election works.

Borough council elections

The council has 40 councillors representing 20 wards in Cheltenham. Electors will vote for two candidates on their ballot paper. Local councils are made up of councillors who are elected by the public in local elections. Councillors work with local people and partners, such as community groups, businesses, and other organisations, to agree and deliver on local priorities. You can find out more about the role of a councillor on the Local Government Association’s website.

Futher information and relevant documents will be made available as they are published below:

Who is standing?

The full list of candidates standing in each ward is outlined in the statement of persons nominated above.

Police and Crime Commissioner elections

Police and Crime Commissioners are elected by the public to ensure the policing needs of communities are met as effectively as possible and to oversee how crime is tackled in your police force area. For more information on the Police and Crime Commissioner, please visit the Association of Police and Crime Commissioner's website.

Gloucestershire is one of 43 police areas. Each elects a Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) every four years. Voters in Cheltenham will be voting for a Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire Police Area.

Full details about the upcoming Police and Crime Commissioner election, including all statutory notices and details on how to stand as a candidate, will be available on Gloucester City Council's website.


How to vote

  • To vote in these elections you need to be registered. Applications of registration must reach Cheltenham Borough Council, Municipal Offices, Promenade, GL50 9SA by Tuesday 16 April 2024. To register to vote please visit GOV UK website.
  • If you want to vote in person, including those acting as a proxy on behalf of another individual, you will need to bring an accepted form of identification (ID) to the polling station to get your ballot papers. Voters who do not produce a Voter Authority Certificate, or valid photo identification will not be allowed to vote on the day. The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate is 5pm Wednesday 24 April 2024.
  • You can request to vote by post instead of voting in person at a polling station.The quickest and simplest way is to apply for a postal vote online. All applications, both online and paper, will require an identity check as part of the application process. In order to verify your identity, you will need to provide your date of birth, National Insurance number and signature. Postal vote applications, postal proxy applications, amendments or cancellations must reach Cheltenham Borough Council by 5pm on Wednesday 17 April 2024.
  • Alternatively, you can apply to vote by proxy if you are unable to get to the polling station. Voting by proxy means you can appoint someone you trust to vote on your behalf. Applications to vote by proxy at these elections must reach Cheltenham Borough Council by 5pm on Wednesday 24 April 2024.
  • lf you find out after the deadline to apply for a proxy vote that you cannot go to the polling station in person, then you may be able to apply for an emergency proxy provided you only become aware of that fact after the deadline of 5pm on Wednesday 24 April, must reach Cheltenham Borough Council by 5pm on Thursday 2 May 2024. You can apply for an emergency proxy if your photo ID is lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed after 5pm on Wednesday 24 April.