People wanting to have their say in this year’s local elections will need to register before the end of next week to avoid missing out on their vote.

Anyone who is not currently registered will need to before the April 14 deadline, or they will not be able to cast their ballot in the elections taking place on May 5.

Although county council elections will not be taking place in Hertfordshire, seven district councils will be electing new members.

That includes every seat in St Albans District Council being up for election as the district prepares for a change in ward boundaries, while a third of councils will be elected in the remaining councils.

North Hertfordshire Council, Stevenage Borough Council, and Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council will all be electing a third of councillors in May.

The district and borough council is responsible for handling planning applications, housing and rubbish collection, so it’s vital to have a say in local elections.

To register to vote, visit the gov.uk website where an online form is available which should take around five minutes to complete. For those wanting to use a paper form, this is available from the same website which should be printed and posted to the Electoral Registration Office.

In England, residents can only vote in elections once you turn 18, although you are allowed to register from 16. To register, you will be asked for your National Insurance number, but you can continue even if you do not have one.

For those wanting to register anonymously for safety reasons, there is an alternative form on the Government’s website which must be sent back ahead of the deadline. This requires a reason to register anonymously, and will mean registration forms will not be sent to your address and your name will not appear on the electoral register.

Once registered, you do not need to re-register again for every election, although if you have moved, changed name or changed nationality, you will be required to register again.

The deadline for registering to vote is 11.59pm on Thursday, April 14, 2022, while those requesting a new postal vote should do so before Tuesday, April 19. The deadline for receiving new proxy vote applications is Tuesday, April 26.

To register to vote, visit www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.